The Unsevered Bond
by swirlheart
Summary: While returning from a mission, Sai and Neji somehow get amnesia. Perhaps their condition could be linked to the recent attacks on the Leaf Village and the missing ninja. Rated T for battle scenes. Please read and review!
1. Chapter 1

**The Unsevered Bond**

Summery: While returning from a mission, Sai and Neji somehow get amnesia. Perhaps their condition could be linked to the recent attacks on the Leaf Village and the missing ninja.

Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto. This is just a fanfiction written for fun. I own nothing but my imagination and the OCs that appear in this story.

 **Chapter 1:**

Naruto along with a team composed of Shikamaru, Sai and Neji were returning home from a successful mission. They were less than a day from the village but it was already nightfall so they decided to set up camp and continue their journey in the morning.

The group slept under the stars while Shikamaru kept watch. Naruto got up once in the middle of the night to use the bushes then went back to sleep.

Shikamaru watched the sunrise then turned to wake the others. It was time to get going.

He went over to Neji first and touched his shoulder. Knowing what a light sleeper Neji was, simply touching his shoulder should be enough to wake him. Neji moaned slightly but didn't wake up. Shikamaru nudged him a little harder. "Neji, wake up," he whispered gently. "It's morning."

Neji opened his eyes and stretched. Then he opened his eyes a little more and started to sit up. He looked around slowly with curious eyes. He looked at the trees and the people sleeping beside him and at the sleeping bag he was snuggled in.

Shikamaru took notice of this and asked, "Is something wrong?"

Neji turned to him with a bewildered expression. "Who are... you?"

Shikamaru was taken aback by this. "Huh?"

"Who are you?" Neji repeated. "What's your name?"

"I'm Shikamaru."

"Shikamaru..?"

He was getting very concerned. It wasn't like Neji to play pranks so he must have been serious. "Don't you recognize me?"

He shook his head. "No. No, I don't remember you."

"Do you know your name?"

Neji opened his mouth to answer then stopped. "Uh..." He looked down in confusion. He couldn't remember his own name.

"Neji," he told him. "Your name is Neji."

"Neji..?" he repeated slowly. "That's my name?"

"Yes. Does it sound familiar to you at all?"

Neji shrugged. "I'm not sure."

Shikamaru was very worried. "Naruto, get up." He moved away from Neji and shook Naruto awake. "Get up. We have a situation."

Naruto woke up rubbing his eyes and yawning. "What? What is it?"

"Neji has amnesia. He can't remember anything."

Naruto opened his eyes fully. "Seriously?"

"I'm serious."

Sai was the next one to wake up. He, too, looked around in confusion and asked, "Where am I? What is this place?" He turned to them. "And who are you?"

"Him, too?" Shikamaru said in dismay.

"I don't get it, Shikamaru," said Naruto. "Why can't they remember anything but we do?"

"I have no idea, but we've got to figure this out."

They sat the two of them down and tried to explain things. Neji and Sai both looked confused and unsure. Neji usually looked pretty fearless but now he had a shy demeanor and gave everyone nervous looks with fearful eyes. He had no idea what was going on and had no clue who these people were. He didn't know anything. Sai was in the same boat. He also had no idea what was going on or who these people were.

"Your name is Sai," Shikamaru said pointing. "And your name is Neji."

"So I am Sai."

"And I'm Neji."

"Yes, that's right. My name is Shikamaru and this person next to me is called Naruto. We're your friends."

"Naruto and Shikamaru," Sai repeated. "Sorry, but those names don't sound familiar to me."

"Me neither," said Neji. "Why are we in the woods?"

"We were coming back home from a mission and decided to camp out here for the night. Last night everything was fine and you two were your normal selves. This morning you two woke up and had no memory. I'm not sure why. Something must have happened to you last night to make you lose your memories."

"What's this thing about a mission?" asked Neji.

Shikamaru nodded. "Right. I suppose you would have forgotten that as well. All four of us are ninja."

"I'm a... ninja?" asked Sai, looking surprised.

"Me, too?"

"Yes. We are all ninja. We were asked to go on a mission together. We've done this many times in the past," Shikamaru explained. "We're all good friends and help each other out. However, if you two don't remember that you're ninja then you also have forgotten your fighting abilities. That's troublesome."

"I don't remember being a ninja at all," said Sai sadly. "I don't remember anything."

"Don't worry," Shikamaru told him. "That's why we're here. We're your friends. We'll help you."

"Then do you know where I live? Can you tell me?"

"Yes, yes," Shikamaru told him. "I can tell you all of that, but I don't want to give you too much information at once or you might get overwhelmed."

Sai nodded sadly. He wanted to know so much but knew even the small amount of information he was getting was very confusing. Shikamaru was right about easing him into this.

"We all live at a place called the Leaf Village. There are many more ninja who live there with us. Most of them are very nice. But since you only just lost your memories, they won't be aware of that. We'll have to tell them and hopefully they'll be able to help." Shikamaru started to stand up. "In any case, we have to get back there."

"Can't you give them a minute?" Naruto asked. "They're really confused. Maybe we should stay out here for a bit and explain things to them."

"We got the basics down and out of the way," said Shikamaru. "We can't stay out here much longer."

"Why not?"

"Because if they don't have their memories, they don't know how to fight. What if an enemy attacks us while we're out here?"

Naruto nodded. "Good point."

"We have to get back as soon as possible. The Hokage might even be able to help them. Maybe even cure them. She should really take a look at them as soon as we get back. Let's face it, we need help with this."

Naruto agreed. "Ok. Let's head back. We can even explain things to them on the way."

Neji and Sai looked unsure and were hesitant to follow them, but they didn't want to be alone either. Without their memories, they felt so lost and confused. They were frightened. Given the choice between going with strangers and wandering the woods alone, they would much rather follow the strangers. Clearly they knew who they were so they couldn't have been complete strangers. They had to put their trust in these people.

"Come on," Shikamaru said extending a hand to Neji and Sai. "We'll take you home and get you some help."

Neji took the hand offered to him and was pulled to his feet. Sai did the same, wanting answers. At least he wasn't the only one who had lost his memory. If worse came to worst, he could partner up with Neji and the two of them could get through this together.

"So this place we're going to," asked Neji, "has other ninja there? There are ninja? And we're also ninja?"

"Yes, that's right."

"I see." Neji still looked confused. "I can't believe I'm a ninja. I don't really feel like one. Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. Don't worry. You just forgot about it. Once you get your memory back, everything will become clear to you and you'll know."

"I hope it's soon." Neji didn't want to be like this. He didn't like feeling confused and scared. Part of him wondered if what Shikamaru was telling him was true. He didn't know himself so he had to trust that whatever Shikamaru was telling him was the truth.

Naruto leaned over to Shikamaru with a mischievous idea. "You know, we could have some fun with this. We could tell them that we're their bosses and they're our slaves or something."

"That's mean, Naruto. We can't do that."

"Why not? It could be fun."

"They have no idea who they are or what's going on. They're trusting us to tell them the truth," Shikamaru whispered to him. "Besides, if we start feeding them false information, it could jeopardize their recovery. It could make them even more confused. Or worse. It could make it even harder for them to get their memories back. As long as we are truthful to them, they're more likely to recover faster. Things will become familiar to them."

"Yeah, you have a point."

"Besides, what if they get their memories back and remember you giving them false information? They'll be beyond pissed."

Naruto sighed. "Yeah, you're right."

"I know how much you love pranks, but now is not the time, Naruto."

"Yeah, I get it. Sorry I brought it up."

As they walked, Neji and Sai both asked their fair share of questions and Shikamaru tried his best to answer them. Naruto did as well, but Shikamaru did a better job of it. Naruto had his own interpretation regarding some of the things they were asking and Shikamaru tried to stick to the facts or at the very least explain it in a way they would understand while still being truthful. They wanted the information they were giving them to be as accurate as possible.

Soon they reached the gate of the Leaf Village and their pace slowed. Neji and Sai were nervous to enter. Seeing the gate of their home was intimidating. Neither one was sure about entering.

"It's ok," Shikamaru told them. "This is our home. We all live here and the people inside are friendly and nice. You don't have to be afraid. I can understand if you're nervous. We'll be right there to help you. Promise."

"It looks like a cage," Sai commented. "With the wall and everything. I'm not sure..."

"It's ok," Naruto told him. "I'll be right there with you. You can trust me. We're friends."

Sai didn't remember being his friend but he had to believe in someone. He agreed to enter the village with the group. Seeing Sai comply encouraged Neji to enter as well.

The guards at the gate greeted them kindly and allowed them to enter. Sai and Neji were nervous about entering, but so far everything seemed perfectly fine. The guards didn't glare at them or stop them or anything. They just greeted them and allowed them to go on their way. If the guards were that friendly, then the rest of the village shouldn't have been so bad.

"This place is huge," commented Sai, looking around. "There are so many buildings."

"Yup. This is our home," Naruto told him with a smile.

"First things first," said Shikamaru. "We have to see the Hokage and have her take a look at them. She might be able to cure them if luck's on our side."

"Ok."

They walked further into the village and as they did, Neji and Sai became a little more intimidated. Sai grabbed onto Naruto's arm and held him tight as they walked through a crowd of people. Naruto looked back at Shikamaru, wondering if he was seeing what Sai was doing.

"Let him," Shikamaru told him. "If he looks to you for comfort, that's a good thing."

Naruto had to let Sai know he was there for him and could trust him. Seeing the frightened look on Sai's face, Naruto patted the hand clutching his arm and assured him that everything was alright. He tried to keep Sai as calm as possible. He didn't want Sai to get overwhelmed and run off in fear.

"Does anything look familiar to you?" he asked.

Sai shook his head. "No. I don't remember any of this," he said.

"Nothing looks familiar to me either," said Neji.

"Give it time," said Shikamaru. "You'll be ok."

They went straight to the Hokage's office and asked to see her immediately. Shikamaru went in first to explain the situation to Tsunade. It wasn't uncommon for her to lose her temper or be yelling at someone so Shikamaru wanted to make sure she wasn't going to scare off the already frightened ninja clinging to their arms.

Tsunade stood in front of her desk as Naruto ushered in Sai and Neji. She introduced herself but neither had any recollection of her whatsoever. "Let me take a look." She moved to put her hand on Neji and he pulled away, staring suspiciously at her hand.

"It's ok," said Naruto. "She's a doctor. She might be able to help get your memory back."

Neji gave her a wary look but didn't shy away from her this time when she moved to touch his head.

"Just relax," she told him and placed her hand on his head.

Naruto and Shikamaru waited for the verdict. Sai looked on with fearful uncertainty.

"Hm." Tsunade took her hand away. "Let me try something else. Sit here, Neji." She had Neji sit down in a chair and put her hand on him again. She took her hand away, performed a few hand signs and put her hand back on his head. She frowned in defeat. "I don't know. Let me see Sai for a minute."

Sai didn't come forward when called. Naruto had to give him a little push and he switched places with Neji. When Tsunade reached for his head, he pulled away just as Neji had done.

"It's ok," Naruto told him. "It's the same thing she did to Neji. You saw. He's just fine. It doesn't hurt at all."

"But I don't know what she's doing," he complained.

"I'm going to see if I can make you better," she told him and placed her hand on his head.

Again, she did the same thing and lowered her hand in disappointment.

"Well?" Naruto pressed.

"There's nothing I can do," she told him. "I'm afraid they'll have to recover from their amnesia on their own."

"How long will that take?" Naruto asked.

She shrugged. "It's a touchy thing. It could be days or it could be for the rest of their lives. The best thing we can do for them now is surround them with familiar things. Hopefully something will help jog their memory."

"But you're saying they could be like this for the rest of their lives?" Naruto was very worried.

"That's a worst case scenario," she told him. "It might not be that way. If it is, then they'll just have to make new memories. That's all. But I think the best way to help them is to show them around the village. Show them their homes, their friends, get them reacquainted with everything. Surround them with familiar things, like I've said. Be it hobbies or people."

"What about being ninja? Do we have to retrain them all over again?" Naruto asked.

"Slowly, Naruto. Don't show them everything at once. For now, just show them around the village. Not everything has to be done today. Show them places they know, like their homes. We don't want to overwhelm them. Just a little at first, then a little more the next day. Go at a decent pace. Don't force it on them. And for the time being, I would suggest no training for them. It goes without saying that they won't be going on any missions either. They are to stay here in the village. Since they're like this, I would recommend an escort."

"What do you mean an escort?"

"Someone has to stay with them until they feel comfortable enough to move around on their own. Remember, they don't know anything about this place or anyone who lives here. They could get lost on their way home. They're lost and scared, Naruto. They need someone to help them through it."

He nodded. "I understand. We'll help them."

"And be truthful with them. Answer their questions honestly." Tsunade shot Naruto a knowing look.

"I promise I won't mess with them! Sheesh! Shikamaru already went over that with me."

Tsunade dismissed them from her office, promising to do more research to help them. In the meantime, Naruto and Shikamaru took the two amnesia-stricken ninja into the village and showed them around. The park seemed like a pleasant and quiet place to start. A lot better than the crowded shopping area. Shikamaru led them around and pointed out different things to them, hoping something would help trigger a memory, however small.

Neji shook his head from side to side. "I still can't remember. Not a thing."

Sai clung to Naruto's arm during the whole walk. He eased up a little bit when they walked past a flowerbed blooming with color and sweet smells. He remarked how pretty they were but it triggered no memory.

"So what do ninja do exactly?" asked Neji.

"We go on missions and help people. Some missions are easy and others are difficult."

"Are they dangerous?"

"They can be. But at least we get paid for our efforts."

Neji had a sad look on his face. "Do you choose to be a ninja or is it forced on you? Are all the people in this village ninja?"

"It's a choice. You can choose to be a ninja or not. Some people in this village aren't ninja at all and that suits them just fine."

"But I'm a ninja?"

"Yes, you are."

Neji looked puzzled. "I wonder why I chose to become a ninja..?"

Shikamaru shrugged. "I can't tell you your reasons for doing things. Some things I can tell you but your motivation for some things I can't explain to you. They were things to decided on your own for your own reasons."

"I know you can't explain everything to me. But... it would be nice to know why I decided to become a ninja."

"Maybe because everyone in your clan is a ninja," Naruto remarked.

"I have a clan?"

"Yup. The Hyuga clan. Your full name in Neji Hyuga."

"Are they here in the village?"

Naruto nodded. "Yup. You can meet them if you like."

Neji gave it some thought. He wanted to meet his clan, but at the same time he was nervous. It was scary meeting people for the first time, but even worse when these strangers knew all about you but you had no memory of them. The thought of meeting them scared Neji a little but he was more curious than scared.

"Do I have a clan?" Sai asked Naruto.

"Uh... I don't think so." Naruto actually didn't know that much about Sai. "You had a brother, I know that."

"Where is he?"

"Uh... Well, um... He..." Naruto had to be truthful but it was a sad truth he had to break to him. "You told me that your brother had died."

"Oh." It was sad news but Sai's tone sounded indifferent. Since he didn't remember having a brother at all, finding out such sad news didn't really effect him. How could he miss someone he's never met? Sai was sad that he would never get to speak with this person, especially if this person was a family member who could tell him things about himself he had forgotten.

"Can I meet my clan?" Neji asked.

"We can introduce you in a little bit," said Shikamaru. "I want to make sure we do this slowly. I don't want to have you meet so many people at once. It might get a little intense."

"Ok." Neji still wanted to know so much. "When I first woke up, we were together. You said that we were on a mission together."

"Yes, that's right."

"Do all ninja go on missions in groups?"

"Yes, in most cases. We're assigned to squads," said Shikamaru. "Most of the time, we remain in the same squad for missions. However, as time goes by and depending on the situation, we can get assigned to different groups. It's complicated."

"Are we a squad?" he asked.

"For this mission, yes. However, you have another squad you work with most often. You were asked to go on a mission with us because of certain skills you possess that others don't."

"Like what?"

"Uh... Well, that's a lot more involved. Do you mind if I explain that to you a little later? I don't want to get you confused."

Neji shook his head. "No. I want to know now. Especially if it has something to do with me and something I can do. I want to know what it is."

"Ok," Shikamaru sighed. "You were asked to come along with us because you possess the ability to see through objects using a technique called the Byakugan."

"Byakugan," Neji repeated in awe. "What's that?"

"It allows you to see through object, like I said. You use it to locate people you couldn't normally see because they're hiding or there's mist around." Shikamaru had to keep his answers as simple as possible. He knew there was more to Neji's Byakugan than that, but he didn't want to get involved with all the details. "It takes a lot of energy," he went on. "No one else can use the Byakugan except those in the Hyuga clan. Like you."

"Wow." Neji let a little smile appear on his face. "That's amazing. How can I do something like that?"

"The thing is, I'm not sure how," Shikamaru admitted. "Since it's a skill only people in your clan can use, as someone who isn't a part of that clan, I wouldn't be able to teach it to you. Sorry."

"Oh..." Neji was disappointed, but simply knowing he could do such a thing had him feel pretty proud and excited. He couldn't wait to use it. He wanted to try it out, but he couldn't remember how to do it at all.

"So you're back," came a voice.

The group turned and saw Sakura coming over with a welcoming smile.

"Kinda wish you had told me you were back. Still hanging out together after a mission? I thought you would all be sick of each other after a long mission. So how did it go?"

Sai tilted his head, looking her up and down.

"Why is Sai looking at me like that?"

She knew his name so they must have been acquainted. She didn't look familiar at all to him.

He tugged on Naruto's sleeve. "Is she a ninja, too?"

"Hm? Yeah, she is."

Sai looked at Sakura in surprise. "Even girls can be ninja? I'm sort of surprised. Seems like a guy thing... or that girls would be too weak for such a thing."

Sakura scowled at him. "What was that?" She thought he was making fun of her and she wasn't in a mood to be mocked. "Are you seriously calling me weak? That as a girl, I'm inferior?!"

Sai meant no offense. Since he had only seen male ninja up until this point, he figured only boys were allowed to be ninja. Tsunade was a doctor, so, as far as he knew, she couldn't have been a ninja. Naruto and Shikamaru were both boys and they claimed to be ninja. Neji and Sai were both boys and were also given the title of ninja, so his logic was that boys were ninja exclusively.

He didn't know any better, but Sakura wasn't aware of this. Taking Sai's assumption as an insult, she clenched her fists to teach him a lesson in watching his mouth.

"Just a sec-!" Naruto moved in front of Sakura's fist and took the punch in Sai's place. He was sent flying backwards and lay flat on his back in the flowerbed. Naruto was lucky Sakura had held back otherwise he would have been thrown over the trees instead of tumbling a few feet.

Neji stood stunned while Sai looked from Naruto to Sakura with fearful eyes.

"Sakura, wait!" Shikamaru grabbed her fist before she could use it again. "It's not his fault. Sai doesn't know."

"I know he's clueless but he should know to watch his mouth instead of being so bold and-"

"No, not that. Sai doesn't know you're a ninja. He was asking an honest question."

"So you defeat Sai before defending me?!" Naruto snapped from the ground. "I thought you were coming to my defense after she hit me!"

"What do you mean he doesn't know I'm a ninja?"

"Sai and Neji both got amnesia coming back from the mission. They can't remember anything."

Sakura's demeanor changed completely. "Oh. Oh! Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know. Really? Amnesia? Both of them? Did you see Lady Tsunade about this?"

"Yes, yes. She told us to surround them with familiar things and to reintroduce them to everyone. But slowly so the pressure doesn't build too much."

Sakura turned to Sai. "I'm sorry. I thought you were trying to pick on me as a joke or something."

"Say sorry to me!" Naruto yelled. "I'm the one you hit!"

"I'm Sakura. Do you remember me at all?"

Sai kept his distance after witnessing that punch. "No. But after seeing that, I doubt I'll ever forget."

"I guess I'll help myself up," Naruto grumbled.

Sai looked at Shikamaru and pointed at Sakura. "So this girl... Who is she?"

"Her name is Sakura. Believe it or not, she's on your team. You two are a part of the same squad."

"Really?" Sai was more shocked than anything. Part of him didn't want to be on a team with her if she was that short-tempered and hit that hard. He was afraid to get near her.

"Naruto is on the same team with you guys. The three of you are a squad."

"Naruto, too?" Sai was relieved to hear that. He already knew Naruto and didn't have a reason to fear him unlike this girl. At least he was on a squad with someone he already sort of knew. He didn't remember him but he seemed to be a decent person to show him around and help him like this. He liked Naruto so finding out they were on the same squad was good news.

After a long walk through the park, Shikamaru decided it would be a good idea to show them around the rest of the village now that it wouldn't be as crowed. Sakura tagged along for a bit and tried to answer some questions, but Sai was pretty timid around her and wanted to hide for fear of being smacked. Sakura left, for reasons she didn't explain which made Sai feel a lot better.

It was getting later and the sun had already gone down. Shikamaru said they could continue the tour tomorrow and would escort Neji and Sai back to their homes. Naruto followed Shikamaru, wanting to help as much as he could. That and the fact that Sai still wouldn't let go of him.

"Neji's place first," Shikamaru announced.

Neji stiffened, trying to prepare himself for what he would find.

Shikamaru went ahead to avoid a similar situation to what happened with Sakura. Hinata was outside which was excellent news. Shikamaru pulled her aside and explained the situation while she nodded and gave sympathetic looks as well as shocked ones.

Neji couldn't hear what they were saying since they were standing so far away, but he didn't take his eyes off the girl Shikamaru was talking to. When he caught the girl looking at him, he stiffened. Then smiled. He turned to Naruto and whispered, "That girl's pretty cute."

"Her name's Hinata," Naruto told him.

"Hinata. That's a pretty name." She seemed rather pleasant to be around. He hoped she was just as kind as she looked.

Shikamaru brought Hinata over to Neji. She kept her gaze fixed on him the entire time so she barely noticed Naruto standing there. She gave Neji a shy introduction and welcomed him into the Hyuga estate.

"So I go with her?" Neji asked Shikamaru.

"Yes. She's showing you to your home." Shikamaru gave him a pat on the back. "Don't worry. She'll take care of you. She's very sweet."

Neji was reluctant to leave Shikamaru since he was the first person he meet after losing his memory and had spent all this time together, but Hinata seemed nice enough. If he had to go with anyone, he was glad it was her.

"Come on in," she told him gently. "I'll show you around."

Neji went with her into a building she identified as her home. Neji turned around only once to look at Shikamaru and Naruto, then went inside as she closed the door behind them.

"Now it's Sai's turn."

They took Sai to his apartment and showed him inside.

Sai looked around at all the paintings and sketches covering the floor and walls. It looked like an art room. The sink was stained different colors from the various materials and there were smocks wadded up on the counter next to paint brushes and charcoals. There were tools on the tables besides some sketchbooks that were unfamiliar to him. The kunai were obviously ninja tools along with the small dagger laying beside them. There were scrolls laying out as well.

"Anything look familiar to you?" Shikamaru asked.

Sai moved around the room slowly, looking at everything around him. When Shikamaru asked that question, he paused, giving everything another look from where he stood. He frowned in sadness and shook his head. "No, sorry. I don't remember any of this."

"It's ok. Give it time."

Sai didn't recognize anything in this room. Nothing stood out to him. He felt like he was in a stranger's house.

"It's getting late," Shikamaru said, turning to Naruto. "I'd better get going."

"Me, too."

"Hang on a second." Shikamaru grabbed his arm. "I don't feel right about leaving Sai here alone. Unlike Neji, he's got no one to look after him."

"He seems fine. Besides, it's night. He's just going to go to sleep. I don't see why he would need someone to stay with him."

Shikamaru had a feeling Sai wasn't going to get any sleep tonight. He could only imagine how Sai must be feeling. It was doubtful that someone in his position could relax enough to find rest.

"I think it would be a good idea if you stay here with him. Unless he says you can leave. Then you can go. But I've got to get home or my mom's going to kill me."

Naruto sighed. "Alright."

Shikamaru left and Naruto stayed. When Naruto tried to leave ten minutes later, Sai stood up and tried to follow him. He didn't want to be alone. Seeing how terrified Sai was to be alone, Naruto decided to stay. He didn't realize just how much Sai needed him until he saw the look on his face.

Just as Shikamaru predicted, Sai couldn't sleep at all that night. He was too confused and frightened. This was supposed to be his home but it was all so strange to him. Nothing felt familiar to him. Being in a strange, unfamiliar place made it very difficult to sleep. Most of the time he spent curled up on the floor in the corner.

"Acting the same way you feel inside, huh?" Naruto tried to strike up a conversation with him to keep him calm. "Do you really feel cornered, Sai?"

He shrugged. "I just don't remember any of this. I want to, but I just can't. I can't remember no matter how hard I try."

"Maybe if you got some sleep you would feel better. Maybe you can remember some things in the morning."

"What if I forget again like the last time?" he asked sadly. "Didn't I go to sleep then wake up without my memory? What if it happens again?"

"I doubt it. You'll be ok. And I'll be here with you."

Sai stayed curled in a ball feeling so lost. Being in his home wasn't comforting. Being surrounded my his art projects and ninja weapons weren't comforting. Being in his village wasn't comforting. The only comfort he had was having someone there with him. Even if he didn't know who they were.

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	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

The next day, Naruto woke up on the floor of Sai's apartment bathed in sunlight streaming in from the window. He raised his head and looked around for Sai. He was in the same place he left him, curled up in the corner of the room. His head was in his arms, resting on his raised knees. He was afraid to sleep last night but appeared to be asleep now.

Something Sai said last night had Naruto worried. What if he lost his memory again after falling asleep? It happened once. Naruto understood why Sai was so afraid to fall asleep, fearing such a thing could happen again. He already had no memory, so losing it again didn't seem like a very big deal as far as Naruto was concerned. However, he didn't want to have to show Sai around again and start from square one.

The idea of Sai losing his memory every time he fell asleep had Naruto worried. Mostly because he didn't know what caused it and didn't want this to keep happening. He also didn't want the same thing happening to him as well. He wanted to know the cause of Sai's memory loss.

Right now, he wanted to make sure Sai hadn't lost it again in his sleep.

Naruto crawled the short distance it took to get to him and touched Sai's shoulder. "Sai? Sai?"

"Hm?" Sai lifted his head, eyes heavy with sleep.

"Hey." Naruto smiled at him gently. "Do you remember who I am?"

"You're Naruto, right?"

Naruto was so relieved. Sai hadn't lost his memory a second time. However, that still meant he was suffering from his current memory loss.

Sai stretched, his body stiff from sleeping in a sitting position all night.

"Do you remember anything, Sai? Has anything come back to you?"

Sai paused, thinking. "No. Nothing." This apartment still didn't look familiar to him. Nothing did.

Naruto wanted to get started a soon as possible, hoping showing Sai some more things in the village would help bring some memories back to him. However, Tsunade had instructed them to go slow so they didn't get overwhelmed.

"Did you want to look around the village some more?" he asked him. "See if anything comes back to you?"

Sai looked at the wall, debating. "Mm..." He wasn't sure what to do. "I guess so..." If Naruto thought it would help, then he probably should.

"Great. Let's get started. As soon as you're ready, of course. I don't want to push you too hard."

Naruto led Sai from the apartment and out into the open air. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining and it was warm. Naruto hoped it would help lift Sai's spirits and help him feel at ease. He also wondered how Neji was doing. He asked Sai if he wanted to pay Neji a visit and see how he was fairing. Sai agreed and they were off.

It looked like Shikamaru had already beaten them there. He was waiting at the front gate, pacing the ground and looking at the sky from time to time.

Finally Neji came outside and went over to Shikamaru, recognizing him from yesterday.

"Hey, Neji. How are you feeling?"

"Pretty good, I guess."

"Has anything come back to you? Any memories?"

He shook his head.

"Oh. Well, hang in there."

Neji had a nice evening with Hinata. She showed him around and brought him to his place. Though she claimed he lived there, nothing struck him as familiar. She showed him her house and explained a number of things to him. She mentioned that her father wasn't home at the moment but he was the head of the Hyuga clan. Hinata also had a little sister but she wasn't around either. She showed Neji to his room and stayed with him for a while. As the hours passed, she told him that she had to return home but she would come back for him in the morning and check on him.

Neji spent the evening looking around his supposed bedroom, pulling out drawers and opening doors. He rummaged through many things, trying to find something he knew. Something that could spark a memory. Nothing stood out to him. The only thing that indicated that this was his room was a photograph he found in a desk drawer of him and three other people. He thought it was him. He looked younger in the photograph and was wearing different clothes. Neji studied his face in the mirror for some time as well, wondering who this person was staring back at him. His own face didn't seem familiar to him. He had no idea who he was or supposed to be. He felt like a stranger among strangers.

He found several other things in the room that he assumed were his. Different weapons to support the claim of him being a ninja and scrolls with information on it he didn't fully understand. There were books on the shelves but he was hoping to find a diary or a photo album so he could learn more about himself. He didn't have very much here. He went to bed late that night and hardly slept. He lay in bed wondering so many things and tried to make sense of this bizarre puzzle.

His morning was off to a good start, at least. Hinata came back to check on him and she brought him breakfast she cooked herself. It was delicious. Hinata was polite and didn't press him or ask too many questions. She let him ask first and answered him as best she could. Hinata was so kind to him. He really liked her. He wondered if everyone else in the village was this pleasant to be around.

Today's tour took them through the shopping area of the village. There were a lot of different shops but none of them looked familiar. Not even the stores they regularly frequented. Sai clung to Naruto as before but Neji was confident enough to walk without clutching someone's hand the entire time.

"What's that?" Sai asked, pointing to a shop window.

"That's the bakery. They put a lot of cakes in the window display."

Sai's stomach growled.

"Oh." Naruto remembered that they left the apartment without eating breakfast. "Where would you like to-?"

"Neji!"

"Ah?!"

Neji was trapped in a tight embrace. He was tackled unexpectedly by someone in green who sobbed uncontrollably into his chest.

"Sakura told me! I cannot believe something like this has befallen someone as worthy as my rival and-!"

"Do I know you?"

Lee's response was a garble of sobs and words so incoherent that even Lee didn't know what he was saying.

Neji leaned away from Lee but couldn't escape the strong embrace. This person was so weird! He was uncomfortable just being near him let alone be hugged by him, whoever he was.

"Lee!" Tenten slapped the back of his head in annoyance. "Sheesh! Calm down! No one knows what you're saying. And that's a fine way to act, scaring him off and everything."

"I am not scaring him off! I want Neji to remember me!"

"I don't think it's working. If anything, you're creeping him out."

"Although," Shikamaru said thoughtfully, "this could be considered a familiar sight, since Lee often acts this way. In theory, it could jog some memories. But I think Tenten's right. You're kinda scaring him off."

Lee hiccuped and sobbed, trying to calm down but he was too worked up. Neji, in the meantime, was twisting his body this way and that, trying to free himself from the overly-emotional ninja.

"Granny did say to surround them with familiar things," said Naruto.

"That's enough, Lee." Tenten pulled him off. "Sorry about that, Neji."

"Who is that freak?" Sai asked, staring at Lee.

"This is Lee," said Shikamaru. "He's on the same team as Neji."

"Him?!" Neji was shocked and displeased to hear such news. He didn't want to be anywhere near this person and it turns out that they are on the same squad. "Are you sure he's on my team?"

"Yes."

Neji moaned. He didn't like the sound of that. "What sort of freak-show do I have as a team anyway?"

"Tenten is on your team as well," Shikamaru added. "This girl right here."

Neji looked at the girl with two buns on her head and big brown eyes. "Well, that's a little better, I think..."

"I cannot believe you have forgotten me!" Lee wailed. "How can this be possible?!"

"Yeah..." Neji said with a grimace on his face. "Hard to believe I could forget someone like you."

"He'll be in your nightmares later," Tenten teased. "Well, I'm Tenten. I'm the only girl on your squad. I'm a weapons specialist. I've backed you up on many missions and we work well together."

"Him as well?" Neji pointed to the sobbing ninja.

"Believe it or not, yes."

Neji frowned. "And we... We get along, the two of us?"

"You and Lee? Well..." Tenten wasn't sure how to answer that. "You weren't too crazy about him in the beginning. In fact, he considers you his rival."

"A rival?"

"Yeah. He's always challenging you to a fight. He's never beaten you once. You always win the matches. I've never seen you lose to him."

"I'm that strong?" Neji's eyes lit up. He was told that he was a ninja but he was never told that he was a powerful one. Hearing that he had never lost a match impressed even himself. He wished he could remember.

"You're a genius," Tenten told him. "Lee's bound to ask you to battle him again, just to warn you, but I told him to chill out until you started feeling better."

"That is right!" Lee said in a clear, confident voice, his tears suddenly gone. "I want you in tiptop shape for our next inevitable battle! If I defeat you now while you are under the weather, it would not be fair! I will win because of skill and hard work and the power of youth!"

Neji raised an eyebrow at him. The light scowl on his face looked like the expression he often gave Lee when he said such things.

"Anything coming back to you?" Naruto asked hopefully. "This ring any bells?"

Neji shook his head. "I still don't remember him. Frankly, I don't think I want to."

"Neji..!" Lee wailed again.

"I'm going to ring your bell in a minute!" Tenten shouted at him. "Honestly."

A few minutes later, Lee was able to calm down enough to have a conversation with his rival without the tears. He was a lot easier to understand now that he wasn't bawling, however all Lee seemed to want to talk about involved training. Everything out of his mouth was about pushing past his limits and using the power of youth. Neji didn't understand any of it. He was starting to see why he would get annoyed with Lee as Tenten claimed.

She was a lot easier to talk to. She had a variety of things to say. Some involved training and weapons, others did not. She praised Tsunade, saying if anyone could help him out with his memory problem, it was her. She said the Hokage was brilliant and very, very good in the medical field.

It wasn't long before Lee insisted that they train together in order to bring back some of Neji's memories, but the whole group told him it wasn't a wise idea.

"Lady Tsunade told us to take it easy," said Shikamaru. "She said absolutely no training or missions."

"But feel free to train if you want, Lee," said Tenten.

Lee was torn. He wanted to train but he also wanted to be at Neji's side in order to help him; and to be there if he suddenly remembered how to fight.

While they talked, Naruto had taken Sai into the bakery for something to eat. He just needed a little snack to tie him over until lunch. Then they could all eat a meal together and chat.

Sai looked around at all the pastries and cakes with hungry eyes. He kept a tight hold on Naruto's arm as usual as he looked at the different displays. He selected a danish to munch on and Naruto paid for it. Sai ate it quietly, his eyes on the walls or the ground as he chewed his snack.

"Is it good?" Naruto asked him to make conversation.

"Mm-hm." Sai licked his lips. "It's good. I like the fruit on top. And the pastry part."

Sai didn't sound too thrilled. Even as he ate it, he didn't seem to be enjoying it. "Something wrong?"

He sighed. "I just... I don't even remember what foods I like. I just picked this because I thought it looked interesting. It's good, but... I don't really have anything to compare it to."

"What do you mean?"

"I can't say it's the best I've ever eaten because I can't remember eating any others like this before. To me, this is my first pastry. And I only selected it because I was hungry and thought it looked interesting. I was also wondering if I would like it. If this was a food I normally get. I don't know. I like it, but... I wonder if I've had better things or not. Maybe there is something I like eating better than this. Maybe there's not. I don't know."

He truly didn't know anything about himself. Not his home, his friends, his past, not even the foods he liked to eat. He knew nothing.

Naruto had to comfort him. He had to assure him that everything was going to be alright.

He put a hand on Sai's shoulder. "If it makes you feel any better, we can stop at my favorite place for lunch. Who knows? Maybe sharing a meal with friends will help you figure things out. Maybe you'll like the food there better and know what you like. Know what I mean?"

"Not exactly, but I'd like to eat lunch with you."

"Great. I'll tell the others and we can go there for lunch in a little bit."

For lunch, they all went to Ichiraku for some ramen. There was just enough room for them all to sit together at the counter. Naruto encouraged Sai to pick anything he wanted from the menu in order to discover what he liked to eat, but Sai was reluctant. He didn't want to choose wrong so he asked Naruto to order for him. Neji browsed the menu for a while, wondering what he should get. He also was in a similar fix, not knowing what he liked to eat. He picked something at random and hoped he made a good selection.

"I have an idea," said Tenten. "We could have Neji and Sai taste some of our ramen and see what they like that way."

"I'm open to that."

"Me, too!" chimed in Lee.

"So we're all going to share?" Neji asked, looking around. "I suppose that's one way to find out what our tastes are like."

"I don't mind sharing," said Naruto. "Ichiraku's the best so I like everything on the menu."

Neji looked at Naruto waiting excitedly for his ramen. Clearly this was a food he really liked. Seeing Naruto's excited expression made Neji wonder if there was a food that made him happy like this. Was there something he really enjoyed eating and couldn't wait to get his hands on?

"Naruto?"

"Yeah?"

"What's my favorite food?"

"Uh..?"

Neji frowned. "You don't know?"

"Well..."

Neji's frown sunk a little lower, making him look not only disappointed but confused. "We're friends, right?"

"Yeah, of course."

"What sort of friend doesn't know their friend's favorite food?"

"Well..." Naruto answered honestly. "You don't really talk about yourself that much. You're not a very open guy."

Neji's eyes widened slightly. "I'm... not?"

"Not exactly. I mean, you talk... But a lot of the time you're pretty quiet. I don't know too many personal things about you." Naruto forced a smile onto his face to ease the tension. "But you know my favorite food is ramen. You pointed that out to me several times and wonder if that's all I eat."

"So I know that your favorite food is ramen because you eat it all the time?"

"Yeah. Sometimes that's how you find out what people like. It's through observation."

"And Naruto isn't always very observant," said Shikamaru. "So don't think it's anything, ok, Neji?"

Neji nodded once and looked down at the counter. What sort of person was he? Who was he supposed to be? Was he really someone who never opened up to people? If that was the case, how was anyone to know who he was or what he was like? How could he expect people to help him get his memory back if he never told them anything about himself? This was going to be trouble. He was starting to worry.

"Nishin soba."

"Huh?" Neji looked to his left where Tenten sat.

"You like soba with herring," she told him with a small smile. "You also don't like pumpkin. I think that's your least favorite."

Neji looked at her with big eyes, his lips parted slightly in surprise. She knew what he liked and what he didn't. Now he knew, himself. He knew a little more about himself and who he was.

She grinned. "Observation. Also, you mentioned it once before when someone tried to serve you pumpkin, I think."

He smiled back at her.

"Here you go, guys." A bowl came down in front of Neji's face. "Eat up."

"Thanks, pops!" Naruto grabbed his chopsticks and started eating right away. "Hot, hot, hot!"

"Let it cool, moron!"

Shikamaru picked the boiled egg out of his bowl and gave it to Neji. "Here. See if you like boiled eggs. I don't, so you can have mine."

"Oh. Thanks, I guess."

"And try some of this." Tenten gave Neji some of her ramen. "It's beef. I'm pretty sure you like it."

Soon everyone at the counter was giving him and Sai some of their food so they had a nice variety to taste.

Sai tried the food offered to him, tasting it slowly to see what he liked best. Some things were better than others. Neji sampled the different things he was given as well. When he got to Lee's offering, he got a nasty surprise.

"Ah!" Neji gasped and clamped a hand over his mouth. His body grew very tense and he sat frozen in his seat with tears welling up in the corner of his eyes. "What..." He could barely speak. "What... was.. that... I just ate?"

"Sorry," said Lee. "My ramen is spicy. I should have warned you."

Neji stuck his face in his bowl and drank all the broth to cool his burning tongue and throat.

"Yeah, I should have warned you about that, too," said Tenten. "Lee likes things spicy and you can't handle spice very well."

"Thanks for the warning," Neji said sarcastically.

"I like mild," said Lee.

"You like spicy," said Tenten. "I've seen it. You just can't tell the difference."

* * *

After lunch, they continued the tour around the village. No matter how much they were shown, neither of them remembered a thing. Neji and Sai still couldn't recall any of this. Nothing in the village looked familiar.

"What's that building?" Sai asked, pointing.

"Oh, that's the library," said Naruto. "You spend a lot of time in there."

Shikamaru then said, "Perhaps he should go inside and have a look around."

"Think so?"

"If he spends a lot of time in there, I don't see why not."

"But nothing has sparked a memory so far," complained Naruto.

"You never know what might trigger it."

"Ok, then the library it is."

Neji looked at Tenten. "Do I go to the library, too?"

"Well..." Tenten scratched her head. "I don't know. I'm not sure..."

Neji gave her a worried look. "You're not sure?"

"Well, I guess you do. I don't see why you wouldn't." Tenten spotted the look on Neji's face and quickly added, "Just because we're teammates doesn't mean we know everything about each other. Some things we keep to ourselves. You don't really share a lot with us, either."

"I don't?" Neji started to wonder what kind of person he was again. If he did share things with his friends, how was he expected to get his memory back? This was so troubling. "So I'm not the type to share things with his friends..?"

"It's not that," Tenten said quickly. "You're a great guy. It's just..." She sighed. "It's just hard to explain. I mean... People have layers. You can't really describe someone in a few words. How they act depends on the situation and who they're around. It's complicated."

Neji knew she was right. People were pretty complex. He couldn't expect to learn everything about himself in a single day or have people be able to give him a consistent description.

"I've also been meaning to ask..." Neji pointed in the distance. "What's that thing? Looks like a monument of some sort. The faces carved into the mountain there."

"Oh, that. That's the Hokage monument. These are the faces of all the Hokages the village had ever had. Past and present. That one on the end is Lady Tsunade. She's the only female Hokage we've had and she's amazing."

"Didn't I meet her before? This Tsunade woman?"

"Yup. She took a look at you when you came to the village with amnesia. She's the leader of the village."

Neji tilted his head. "I thought she was a doctor."

"She is. She's amazing. She does so much. She's a great ninja, a fantastic leader and she's the best doctor there is. If anyone can help you, it's her."

Neji saw the way Tenten's face lit up when she spoke about Tsunade and knew she thought highly of her. "You seem fond of her," he said.

"Yeah." Tenten looked over at Lee who couldn't stay standing upright any longer and started walking around on his hands.

"Does he do that often?" Neji asked, pointing at him.

"All the time. It's is version of training."

Neji gave Lee a quizzical look and tried to ignore him. It was hard to believe he could forget someone like this.

"You know..." said Tenten. "A couple years back, Lee was injured in battle with another ninja that left him handicapped. They said he would never be able to fight again. His days as a Shinobi were over. His arm and leg were shot. He couldn't walk and had to get around on crutches. They said he would never get better."

Seeing Lee walking around on his hands meant that he obviously got better.

"Lady Tsunade came to the village as the new Hokage and operated on him. She patched Lee up and now he's better than ever," said Tenten. Then she turned to Neji. "That's why I'm confident that if there's anyone who can help you and Sai get better, it's got to be her. There's no doubt. They all said that Lee would never get better and now look. That's why you can't give up hope. Even if it seems hopeless to you, there is always a way. I know you'll get better, Neji. You and Sai both."

Neji smiled at her. Hearing about Lee's inspirational story gave Neji hope that he would get better. One day, he would have his memory back. He just had to trust and wait.

* * *

That evening, Neji returned home alone. He was escorted to the estate by his teammates but entered his home alone. Hinata had prepared him dinner and left it on the table for him with a note saying she would be at her home all night if he needed anything. She encouraged him to come over, even if he was just lonely. She even drew him a map leading from his place to hers to make sure he would find his way.

He smiled and ate the dinner she prepared for him in his room. His room was supposed to be a sanctuary where he would feel safe and comfortable. A place familiar to him, decorated the way he wanted with the things he knew. He wanted to be immersed in his room and hope something jogged his memory. Even just a tiny bit. Still nothing looked even remotely familiar to him. This was a stranger's room and he was just staying in it.

Neji wanted to be alone tonight and think.

After he finished eating, he stood up and went to the window. He looked outside at the darkening sky and thought. He spent a long time thinking about many things. He thought about this village and the people in it. He wondered about his memories and when he would get them back. He wondered who he was and if he would ever find out.

When he first agreed to come to this place, he figured if he didn't like it, he could always leave. Now such a thought seemed unwise. If he didn't know anything, it was unlikely he would be able to survive out there alone. He didn't even know where he was. He had no idea what rules he had to follow, the good people from the bad, no clue where to find shelter or how to survive. At this village, people obviously knew him. He had a home here. A life here. A clan. It made no sense to leave just because he didn't remember any of it. These people seemed to want to help him and cared about him. He didn't see a reason to leave at this point. He might have left if the people here were cruel but they weren't. They were good people. He wished he could remember them and the life he had.

"If worse comes to worst," he said to himself, "I could always make new memories."

He could live here. He could start over. A fresh new start.

Maybe it wouldn't be the life he had, but it was something. He wanted to remember who he was before but pushing himself to remember wasn't working. They all said it would take time but he didn't know what he was supposed to do with himself in the meantime.

That was why starting over seemed like a decent alternative if he couldn't remember.

Instead of worrying about it, he could just go with the flow and learn as he went. Then maybe one day his memory would return and he could pick up where he left off.

Or decide who he would rather be. The person he was before or the one he became in order to get by.

* * *

Sai was afraid to go home alone so Naruto was his escort. It was also a good way to make sure he didn't get lost. However, once they reached his home, Sai refused to go in. He asked Naruto if he could spend the night at his place instead. The whole point of Sai staying at his home was so he would be in a familiar place to help get his memory back. If he spent the night at a friend's house instead, it defeated the purpose. However, Naruto didn't see it this way and agreed to let Sai spend the night at his apartment.

"It was a nice day, wasn't it?" Naruto asked as he changed clothes. "We found out that you like ramen better than the pastry you ate for breakfast."

"Hm." Sai sat on Naruto's bed, looking around the room. "Your place is pretty messy."

"Yeah. I don't clean much. Sakura's always nagging me about it."

"Not much of a housekeeper?"

"Guess not."

Sai bounced on the bed, testing the mattress. He didn't sleep in a bed last night. He didn't sleep much at all, actually. His neck was still stiff.

This room was messy but strangely homey. He was comfortable here. Having Naruto nearby also helped put him at ease. He trusted this boy and liked him very much. He was kind and helpful. Tonight felt a little easier somehow. He wasn't as stressed as he was before. He felt safe here.

"If you don't want to sleep on the couch, you can have the floor. The couch is in the other room so I suppose you want to stay around people like you did last night. I'll roll out the sleeping bag and you can have..."

Naruto turned around and saw that Sai was already asleep in his bed.

"Sai..." Naruto wanted to shove him off the bed but saw how exhausted Sai looked and didn't have the heart to do it. Sai's peaceful expression was enough to stop him.

With a sigh, he pulled the blanket off the foot of the bed and draped it over Sai since he was on top of the covers. Naruto really wanted to sleep in his own bed, but he wasn't about to share a tiny bed with his teammate. With little choice, Naruto took the sleeping bag that night and slept on the floor.

* * *

There will be action in this fic. Don't worry.

Please review! ^-^


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

Naruto woke up first and saw Sai still asleep in his bed right where he left him. When he opened the curtains, Sai woke up and buried his face in the pillow.

"Good morning," Naruto greeted him. "Sleep well?"

Sai lifted himself up into a sitting position and looked around. When he spotted Naruto, he grinned and nodded. "Yes, I did. Much better from the other night. Thank you."

"Thanking me for the bed, I guess. It's fine. It's probably more comfortable than the floor." Naruto got dressed and looked back at Sai who was looking out the window at the village just beginning to wake up. "Want some breakfast?"

Sai nodded.

Naruto went into the kitchen and brought him back some toast and jelly. They ate in the bedroom, glancing at each other from time to time. They made no conversation. Just glanced at each other and looked away.

"I can take you on another tour of the village if you want."

"Ok."

Naruto took Sai with him into the village and showed him around again. They revisited several places from yesterday in hopes something sparked his memory. Sai remembered seeing the buildings the day before but other than that there was no familiarity.

They were then joined by Sakura who came straight from her home to see how Sai was doing.

Sai quickly hid from her behind Naruto, fearing she would punch him like he had seen her do to Naruto.

Seeing him flinch made Sakura stop in her tracks and knew she had to be gentle with him. "It's ok, Sai. It's just me. I'm not going to hurt you. Don't worry."

Sai peered around Naruto's head and gave her a timid look.

"How is he?" she asked Naruto.

"About the same. He still can't remember anything." He looked back at Sai and then back at Sakura. "But he seems to remember your punch from the other day."

"Yeah, sorry about that. I didn't want him to be afraid of me but now it sure looks that way." Sakura didn't want Sai to fear her. Now Sai must have thought she was a threat and would flee anytime he saw her, which is what she didn't want. Sai had to trust her, not fear her.

"It's fine, Sai," Naruto told him. "It's just Sakura. She doesn't that all the ti- Ow!"

Sakura pinched Naruto's cheek to cut him off. The last thing she wanted was for Sai to think she went around hitting people every chance she got. It wasn't true. She only smacked people around if they deserved it or if they angered her. She didn't think it was that often. Most of all, she didn't want Sai to get the wrong impression and think she was a violent person. She had a tender side as well. She needed him to see that.

"Don't worry, Sai. I'm not going to hurt you. It was just a misunderstanding the other day. I thought you were being mean to me on purpose so I did that. I'm not a mean person. You can trust me."

Sai wasn't sure. He couldn't shake the feeling that once he turned his back, she would jump on top of him and start hitting. He clung tightly to Naruto and hid.

Showing Sai that Sakura wasn't violent was going to be difficult now that he had that punch as his first impression of her.

At the same time, Neji was walking by himself from his home into the shopping area of the village. He wanted to see if he could make it on his own without getting lost. The first test was seeing if he could make it to the department store on his own. He made a wrong turn but managed to find the store he was looking for. Now he had to see if he could make it to the ramen shop without getting lost. This time he managed to reach his destination without getting lost. This was going well. Eventually he would have this whole village mapped out and be able to get from place to place on his own.

"Neji, what are you doing out by yourself?"

Neji turned and saw Tenten standing beside him. "I was just seeing if I could find my way on my own."

"What if you get lost? I think it would be best if you let us stay with you for a little longer just to be sure. But I admire your determination."

"You do?"

"Yeah. And good effort, as well." Tenten gave him a single pat on the shoulder and smiled. "Putting forth effort is good."

They started to walk but had only taken a few steps when they were stopped by other people. People Neji did not know but Tenten clearly did.

"Hey, I just heard from Sakura that Neji got amnesia or something," said Kiba. "Is that true?"

"Yeah, it's true."

"Dang." Kiba looked at Neji, leaning forward and sniffed him.

Neji leaned away with a look of disgust on his face. "Why are you smelling me? Are you a dog or something?"

"Man, so he really doesn't remember, huh?" Kiba pointed to himself. "You don't remember me at all?"

Neji shook his head. "Do I want to?"

"Very funny." Kiba gave him a proud smile and puffed out his chest. "Well, I'm Kiba. Just so you know. It's probably best if you get to know me all over again, so I'll help you get started. I'll remind you who I am. Like I said, my name's Kiba. I'm sort of a big deal around the village."

"Why don't you tell him he owes you a great amount of money while you're at it?" said Shino. "He's not a big deal in the village though he would like that very much. I'm Shino. If he tells you anything fishy, come to me and I'll set you straight. I don't see a point in lying to my friends since it helps no one and are eventually found out."

"Sure, call me a liar in front of him."

"You are a liar. The only thing truthful about your statement was your name."

"Why don't you show him your bugs and see if he runs for the hills screaming? If it doesn't bring back memories, it will bring him nightmares."

Shino growled in response.

Neji looked at the two of them, trying to memorize their names. "Shino and Kiba. Ok. I think I've got that."

"Good."

"We're part of the same team," said Shino. "Kiba and I are on the same squad along with Hinata. I figured I should let you know."

"Hinata is a part of your team?"

"Yes, she is. She told us the other day that you had lost your memory and was very worried about you. She wanted to see if we could help in some way so I figured introducing ourselves would be a good start."

"Yeah, but what Shino didn't mention was how we haven't been on too many missions together recently. We see each other around but it's not like we have a secret handshake or something," said Kiba. "So frankly I'm not sure how much help we would be. I would imagine your teammates would be closer to you than us. But since Hinata was so worried about you, we agreed to help out if we could."

Neji was humbled that Hinata cared so much about him and was worried. He wanted to get better so she wouldn't have to worry so much but he couldn't force himself to remember. Hinata was such a sweet person, he wanted to get better for her sake just as much as he wanted to get better for his.

"Where is Lee, by the way?" asked Kiba. "I'm surprised he's not here."

"You mean the weird guy in green and the bowl cut?" Neji asked. "I haven't seen him since yesterday."

"He's at the training grounds," answered Tenten. "He blew off training yesterday to be with you and wants to make up for lost time."

"Where's that?" Neji asked her. "The training grounds?"

"Uh..." Tenten didn't want to answer him. "I don't know... Maybe we shouldn't go there today."

"Why not?" asked Kiba.

"I'm afraid if Neji goes there, he might get inspired to try training or something," Tenten whispered to him so Neji wouldn't hear. "Or if Lee sees him, he's bound to challenge him as usual and Neji can't remember how to fight."

"But seeing people train and battle might be a familiar sight for Neji to behold," said Shino. "He doesn't have to try any moves or train. He can just watch. Maybe he can remember something through observation."

"Think so?" Tenten glanced back at Neji. "Well... I guess if you think it will help..."

"It couldn't hurt, right?" said Kiba. "Ok, Neji. The training grounds it is. Let's go!"

* * *

"What shop is that?" asked Sai, pointing to a shop on their left. "A flower shop?"

"It is."

Sakura had an idea. "Maybe we should go in real quick for a bit."

"Why?" Naruto was pulled inside instead of receiving an answer.

The flower shop smelled strongly of different flowers and dirt. The aroma was pleasant and sweet. Sai looked at all the flowers with curious eyes. He ran his fingers along the tables and bushed his fingertips against the colorful petals. He lowered his nose into the potted plants and inhaled the sweet scent. He went around sniffing flowers until he heard someone call his name and looked up.

"Oh, Sai, you poor thing. I heard from Sakura that you lost your memory," said a girl with blond hair and earrings. "Don't you worry. I'll help you out as much as I can."

"Who are you?"

"Typical," said Sakura. "You haven't even introduced yourself to him, knowing he lost his memory."

Ino shot her a look, then turned back to Sai with a gentle smile. "I'm Ino. My family owns this flower shop."

Ino wanted to help Sai but sadly, she didn't know that much about him. She wanted to learn more about this boy who called her beautiful and had a shy disposition. She wanted to know the meaning behind his slightly sad smile and wanted to be closer to him. Even date. If only she knew more about him, helping him regain his memory would be a lot easier.

"So?" she pressed gently. "Anything coming back to you? Anything you know about me? Or remember?"

Sai looked her up and down. "You have pretty eyes."

Ino cupped a hand to her blushing cheek. "Oh, stop," she giggled.

"He has no memory and you're still trying to flirth with him," hissed Sakura. "Have you no shame?"

"Well, I don't see you helping him very much," Ino hissed back. "He's your teammate and he looks at you like he's about to get stabbed. Clearly you're doing a wonderful job."

"We got off to a rough start."

"Oh, that's your excuse? Hmph! At least when Sai looks at me, he sees someone with pretty eyes."

"So he lost his memory and his senses. Clearly he's stupid."

"What did you just say?"

"If he thinks you have pretty eyes-"

"Between the two of us, I have the better shot at him. He's terrified of you. And who wouldn't be with that huge brow of yours? That thing looks like it's ready to crush him to death. Or eat him."

"Your insults could-"

"Guys, is this helping Sai at all?" asked Naruto. "Because I don't think it is. I don't think it has anything to do with anything."

* * *

Neji wandered onto the training ground, looking in all directions. There were targets stationed in trees and on the ground and there were weapons in various positions. He saw Lee kicking a tree trunk with his leg over and over again, counting aloud to himself. Once he reached five hundred, he switched legs and started all over again. He didn't seem to notice them at all.

"This is where ninja come to train," Tenten explained to him. "Lee's in the middle of another routine, so you can see what it's like. For one of us at least. He's always pushing himself and going overboard. That's him, though. You don't go overboard. You have some sense, at least. And don't worry. You don't have to train. You don't remember how to fight so it would be dangerous to try it right now. But you can always watch what Lee's doing."

Neji watched Lee but soon grew bored. He wanted to try kicking something as well. It looked like fun. It was something to do besides sitting and watching. No one would let him, though. He was confined to his seat and made to watch without mimicking what he saw.

Tenten was right about it inspiring him to try it himself. He really wanted to but no one would let him. Even when he asked.

"Can I at least throw one of those?" he asked, gesturing to a kunai.

"Those things are sharp. I don't want you getting hurt."

"I have amnesia. I'm not a child."

"You can watch us if you want," suggested Kiba.

Neji sighed. "No. That's ok..."

There was no point if he couldn't do the same thing. Watching seemed pointless if he wasn't allowed to imitate what he saw. It wasn't a childish attitude causing him to think this way. He thought it was sensible. If he was a ninja as well, it made a lot of sense to mimic what he saw other ninja do. That way he was more likely to get his memory back. Doing something familiar should help him get it back faster. Telling him to watch wasn't the same as actually doing it.

"Maybe I should just go home..."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah..." he sighed again. "I've had enough watching for one day."

"We'll walk you home." Tenten started to stand up.

"No, that's ok. I'd rather find my way on my own." Neji stood up and left alone.

He had so much to think about, he wanted to be alone in order to process it. He had just seen ninja training but it didn't look familiar to him. It looked like fun, but not familiar. He just met two new people but he didn't remember them at all. He managed to find his way around the village well enough but this place still didn't look familiar to him. None of it did. He still felt lost.

The other day, he felt like a stranger in a bizarre place. Today, he felt like a new student at school trying to find his way to the classroom for the first time. It was a similar feeling but a little better than the first one. There was some improvement, but he still felt lost and confused. Not to the degree he was before but the feeling was still there. Only milder.

"Neji?"

He looked to the side and saw Hinata looking at him from her front door. It looked like she was just getting home as well.

"Everything ok?"

He didn't want to worry her by telling her how he felt but he wanted to be truthful. Even Shino said it was better to speak the truth. There was no sense in hiding it from her.

"Do you... Do you mind if I come in for a bit?" he asked her shyly. "Can we talk?"

"Sure. Come on in." Hinata opened the door wide for him to enter and he stepped inside.

Hinata fixed him a snack and showed him to a room with a comfortable couch and armchairs. She set the snack on the coffee table and sat on the couch while he sat in the armchair. She poured him some tea and set it in front of him. Neither of them spoke. Hinata was quiet by nature and shy, and Neji was nervous and unsure how to put his feelings into words.

"It's difficult for you, isn't it?" Hinata said softly. "People keep asking you if you remember anything and you don't and that makes you so sad and frustrated. Doesn't it? You want to remember so much but you just can't bring the memories back no matter how hard you try."

Neji looked up in surprise. That was exactly how he felt.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I'm sorry you feel that way. I wish I could bring them back for you but I can't. I want to help so much but... I'm sorry I can't do much."

"No, no, no. It's ok. You're doing so much as it is. You're helping me and you're worried about me and I appreciate that. You're very kind to me and I'm grateful. I just..." Neji looked down. "I just... I want to get better."

It was taking so long. He wanted to remember something. Anything.

"Neji..." Hinata was looking at him with concerned eyes. "You were always proud to be a ninja. You're very strong and committed and great. You even helped me train and I got better. You helped me improve. It makes me sad to think you're not that person anymore. I know you are deep down, but you can't remember it. To me, you're still Neji. Even if you act different and don't remember, you're still Neji."

Neji listened intently to what she had to say. Hinata gripped her teacup tightly and looked at the steam wafting off the pale green liquid.

"I just... I wonder..." she said hesitantly. "I wonder... If you can't remember... what will you do? Since you can't be a ninja if you don't know how to fight, what's going to happen? You don't have to be if you don't want to be one. But you were always so happy and proud to be one that it seems like a waste to me. No, more than that. It makes me wonder if you will truly be happy if you're not a ninja anymore."

This was an opportunity for him to live how he wanted. He could opt not to be a ninja. However, that meant giving up a part of himself. Something inspired him to be a ninja in the first place. Being a ninja wasn't who he was completely, but it was a part of him and who he was. An important part. If he decided not to be a ninja anymore, it meant he would never truly be the Neji he was before. It meant never being whole.

Hinata didn't want that for him and neither did Neji. They both knew he wouldn't be truly happy giving up on an important part of himself.

He couldn't give up. He was determined to remember who he was before. He had to find out.

Neji picked up his teacup and sipped the hot tea slowly. The cup warmed his palms and the warmth traveled up his arms and mixed with the warmth in his chest after drinking the tea.

"You've helped me before," said Hinata, "so I'm happy to help you if I can. I'll try my best and do what I can for you."

"Thank you."

Neji looked around the room decorated with picture frames and trinkets. There were photographs as well. One of which caught his attention right away. It was a picture of Hinata when she was small. Beside her was a boy with long hair. They were both smiling. The boy stood up straight and faced the camera while the girl had her head slightly dipped and her body at an angle, trying to hide herself while still wanting to be seen. She was shy.

It was the two of them. Neji and Hinata in the same picture together with other adults, but he was focused on them. He barely noticed the other people in the photograph. His eyes were fixed on them alone.

So they knew each other even back then.

"That photo was taken the day I started my training as member of the Hyuga clan," Hinata explained, noticing the picture he was looking at. "I'm trying to hid behind my dad's leg in the picture."

"You look cute," he told her. "And I'm the one next to you, I take it?"

"Yes. That's you. I was three at the time that picture was taken."

"You started your training at three?" Neji was surprised and impressed.

"Yeah. But that's over with now." Hinata took a sip from her cup. "My father's training my little sister now."

"So you finished your training?"

Hinata frowned in sadness. "It's... My father said I wasn't fit to continue with my training. I'm supposed to be the next head of the Hyuga clan, but he thought I was too weak for the role. So he's training my sister instead."

"He... gave up on you?"

"Yeah." Hinata forced herself to smile. "I trained by myself after that and with my squad. Then you started training me in the things my dad wouldn't. So you did help me out a lot. You've helped in other ways, too... but I'd rather not get into that right now. It's a long story and complicated."

"But you'll tell me at some point, right?"

She nodded. "Mm-hm. If you still want me to." Hinata held up the plate of cookies. "Have some. I baked them yesterday."

Neji sat down and took a cookie from the plate offered to him.

This clan seemed to be complicated. There were still so many things he had to remember and learn all over again. Including his history. The clan's history and his personal history. There was so much he wanted to learn. So much he wanted to know.

He had mixed feelings about this clan and Hinata's father, but the one thing he wasn't having mixed feelings about was how he felt about her. Hinata was so nice and sweet and gentle. He truly cared about her and wanted so much to remember her and the history they had together.

He wanted to remember.

* * *

Shikamaru joined the group in the park later than expected. He said he had some things to do before coming to meet them and it took longer than expected. When Sai left to use the restroom, Shikamaru leaned in to have a conversation with Naruto and Sakura while he was gone. He asked how Sai was doing and according to the information they gave him, little if anything had changed.

"Have you noticed that they're not their usual selves?" asked Naruto. "I mean, don't Sai and Neji seem different to you?"

"They don't remember anything. It's only natural for them to act differently," said Sakura.

"Yeah, but I mean they're acting like different people. They seem different, you know? Like they have different personalities or something." Naruto looked down at the wooden table between him and Shikamaru. "I don't remember Sai being this clingly and Neji's acting weird, too. What's up with that?"

Shikamaru had an answer for that. "When you're born, you have a unique personality. But your experiences have an effect on who you become. People are complicated. Certain events can change a person and so can the things they're taught."

"So you think Sai and Neji are acting a little differently because they can't remember the events that made them who they are now?" said Sakura.

"How can events have an effect on how a person acts?" Naruto said skeptically. "I get what you're saying, but does it really have that big of an impact on how a person is? Neji's always been serious and a bit of a jerk. How can losing his memory change him into someone who isn't like that? Make him into someone who's more... unsure and timid?"

"Losing your memory can make you timid because you don't know anything. Like being introduced to a new group of people and told you have to work with them from now on. People tend to act a little shy in those situations."

"Not me. Even when I just met a person, I'm friendly with them and say what's on my mind," said Naruto.

"Well, that's one aspect of your personality. But surely you've been shy about someone new at some point in your life. And when you normally act that way, you have your memory. Imagine not knowing anything at all. Not even your own name."

Naruto lowered his gaze. "I guess you have a point. You're right. I probably would be a little more shy than usual."

"It's not just that," Shikamaru went on. "What I was saying about events having an effect on how a person behaves is a big factor in how Neji and Sai are acting now. Events do shape how a person behaves and who they become. For example... Sakura."

"Hm?"

"You and Ino used to be best friends, right?"

She nodded. "Yeah, that's right."

"You're friends again but you're not the same as you were before. All because you and Ino both liked the same guy. If Ino hadn't liked Sasuke, then the two of you would have never been rivals and wouldn't have thrown away a friendship. You see? Because of that event, things changed. If Ino hadn't liked Sasuke, too, then she might have supported Sakura and tried to help set her up on a date with Sasuke instead of fight over him and stop being friends."

Sakura knew he was right. Things would have been very different if Ino hadn't liked Sasuke as well.

"See what I mean about events having an effect on people and who they become?" Shikamaru then looked at Naruto. "You might not be an attention-seeker if you were given a ton of attention as a child, or if people had treated you differently. Who knows? And..." Shikamaru leaned closer. "You might not have had such a strong connection with Gaara if you weren't a Jinchuriki as well."

Naruto knew he was right. Naruto felt connected with Gaara and could see a reflection of himself and who he could have become if he didn't have people in his life. Thinking of the difference between him and Gaara also further supported Shikamaru's theory that a person becomes a certain way due to experience and important events. If Gaara had a life like Naruto did, then he might not have become the way he was when Naruto first met him. Naruto might have been different if he had switched lives with Gaara. Different events having an effect on a person's personality suddenly made a lot more sense.

"Do you think they could become different people if they don't have those experiences to help them?" asked Sakura. "It's not like we can recreate those events. Some people change when they've experienced loss or hardship."

"True. Which means it's possible that they might not be the same as they were before," said Shikamaru. "In order to get them back to the way they were before, they have to get their memories back. Otherwise, there might be some subtle differences."

It sounded like no matter what they did, Neji and Sai would not be exactly the same as they were before losing their memories. This was troubling news. Naruto wanted things to go back to the way they were. If Neji and Sai were not the same as they were before, then they weren't really Neji and Sai. Not to him.

"Our best bet is to just-"

"But they won't be the same as before?" Naruto interrupted.

"Maybe not exactly, but we're not sure. The best thing we can do for them is what we've been doing so far. Surround them with familiar things and hope that something jogs their memory. Giving them a tour of the village is a good way to go. Even if it doesn't bring back any memories, they'll learn how to get around without an escort and won't get lost. Either way it's helping them. It's important to carry out daily rituals as normally as possible. According to Lady Tsunade, this will help. It may take some time but it will help. Just make sure they're around familiar things and eventually their memories will return."

"Hopefully," Naruto said under his breath. So far, Sai had shown little improvement. Naruto was starting to wonder if Sai would ever be the same as he was before. Perhaps letting Sai spend the night at his place set him back a little or delayed his recovery. Shikamaru and Tsunade were right. Sai had to be around the things that he knew if he was going to get better.

Shikamaru sat back in his seat, looking at Sai as he returned to the park table. "Hey, Sai. Glad you found your way back alright."

"It wasn't far."

Shikamaru smiled at him. "So, was there anything else you wanted to see today? We could just sit here and watch the sunset if you like."

Sai shook his head. "Actually... I think I'd just rather go home. If that's ok..."

"Uh, sure. Sure, that's fine." Shikamaru looked to Naruto. "Will you..?"

"I'm on it."

Naruto escorted Sai home, but once they reached his home, Sai again clung to him and asked to spend the night at Naruto's apartment. After their conversation with Shikamaru, Naruto knew he had to refuse.

"You should stay in a place you know. It will help you get your memories back quicker."

"But I don't know this place. I'd rather stay with you. I don't want to be alone."

Naruto sighed. "How about I stay here with you for a bit? Is that ok?"

Sai nodded.

"Just for a bit, ok? And I'm not that far away. If you need anything, I'm just up the street a bit."

For the next few hours, Naruto stayed with Sai in his apartment and kept him company. Sai stayed on his bed while Naruto sat on the floor. Sai propped himself up on his elbows and asked Naruto several questions, hoping to get answers.

"At least we know you liked the ramen better than you did the pastry you had for breakfast. Right?"

"But what's my favorite food?" Sai asked.

Naruto shrugged. "I don't really know."

"Aren't friends supposed to know? Neji's friend knew his. Why don't you know mine?"

"I never really asked. And we haven't known each other for that long," Naruto admitted.

"I thought we were teammates."

"We are. It's just..." Naruto didn't see the harm in explaining. "We had another teammate before you and you were his replacement."

"Replacement?"

"Yeah. He ran off a couple years ago."

"Was it the girl?" Sai asked. "She can be pretty scary. Did she punch him and he ran away?"

"No, nothing like that. This bad guy told him that he could give him power and he bought it. He ran off to be with the bad guy. But he just wants to use him. He doesn't actually care but our friend wouldn't listen. He ran off anyway. Then you became his replacement." Naruto chuckled. "I wasn't too thrilled with you at first. I couldn't accept you. I didn't want someone to replace my teammate. Then we got to know each other and now I like you. You're my friend."

"Oh."

Naruto smiled. "You became our friend. But we haven't known each other very long compared to others." Naruto frowned. "You wanted to get closer to people so we could have a bond. But... Maybe I should have paid more attention. Sorry about that. I didn't think something like this would happen. Now I wish I had made more of an effort to know more about you. I thought I knew enough. You're my friend and I like you. What else is there to know?"

"But you do care, right?"

"Of course I do. I just don't pry. I do care about you. I wouldn't be here if I didn't."

Sai rested his head on the pillow. "If I haven't been here that long... What kind of memories will I have of this place?"

"You've been in the village all your life. You just haven't known us for the same amount of time. I went to school with our other friends and grew up together. But we didn't. We know about each other and care about each other, but we didn't grow up together. I do know some things about you, but not every detail of your life."

"What kind of things can you tell me about myself?" Sai asked, looking at Naruto with tired but interested eyes.

Naruto tried to keep his voice soft and quiet, hoping Sai would fall asleep and he could sneak out. He'd rather sleep in his own bed than on the floor for a second night in a row.

"You were trained in ANBU. They're strong and tough ninja. You had a brother but he passed away. You can draw really well. You read a lot. Sometimes you say awkward and strange things but you don't mean it. Well, it's not that you don't mean it. You're just an awkward person, I guess. Sometimes I think you act or say things without thinking. Or reading the situation. It's funny sometimes and other times it's annoying. But it's not your fault. You're pretty social, or at least you try to be. You just want to connect with people."

Just like now. Sai wanted to connect with people and learn.

"I guess not that much has changed."

In a way, Sai was still Sai.

He turned his head and saw that Sai's eyes were closed. He must have had a tiring day. He tried to stay awake to listen to Naruto but his eyes wouldn't stay open no matter how much he wanted them to. Listening to Naruto talk was like hearing a bedtime story.

Naruto carefully stood up and tiptoed to the door.

It was already dark outside, but Naruto didn't realize just how late it was until he noticed that the streets were practically empty. He passed streetlight after streetlight until he finally made it home and quickly ducked inside.

Though he was in the comfort of his own home, Naruto felt restless. The conversation he had with Sai and Shikamaru was stuck in his head. It got him thinking and then worrying.

Naruto wondered if he was a bad friend for not knowing more about Sai. He was worried that he was slowing Sai's progress by not being able to tell him more about himself. He had no idea what Sai's favorite food was and that was basic information. Surely friends knew their favorite foods.

Did Naruto really know so little about his friends?

"Am I a bad friend for not knowing?" he wondered aloud to himself. "They're my friends but... I don't know every detail of their lives. Maybe I'm just not observant. I hope they don't think it's because I don't care. I do. I just..."

To him, friendship was more than knowing what their favorite foods were. He cared about them and wanted to protect them.

Was that not enough?

* * *

Please review! ^-^


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:**

Sai opened his eyes expecting to see Naruto looking at him but he wasn't there. Sai lifted himself up and looked around the room. He was alone.

"Naruto?" he called timidly.

When he didn't get an answer, he got off the bed and started searching. The apartment was quiet and empty. Sai remembered Naruto saying that he was just up the street. Sai didn't want to be alone in this apartment. His or not, it was lonely to be here by himself.

Sai left the apartment and went off in search of Naruto. He wanted to see him again.

He didn't know what time it was but it was still nighttime. The street lights were still on. He stood outside and looked from left to right. He hoped he remembered how to get there. Taking a deep breath, Sai turned to the right and walked down the street.

It was quiet and a bit frightening walking down the dark street by himself. He felt like a child trying to find his way home in the dark. A lost child.

He was lost. He didn't know anyone or anything here. Yet everyone told him this was his home. He didn't feel at home in that apartment. He felt at home with Naruto. He wanted to be with Naruto. He wanted to be with people. Being alone seemed so... lonely. And scary.

If what Naruto said was true about being surrounded by familiar things in order to get his memory back, then it made a lot more sense to stay with people he knew and not some building he lived in. A place was a place, but people were...

Connections.

Bonds.

Why did that word pop into his mind?

In order to remember, he had to be around people he knew and felt comfortable with. Not places and things. Sure, those could help, but there was more to it than that. More to him.

People made people who they were. They were friends because...

Sai stopped. A shadow passed overhead and it startled him.

He quickly ducked into an alley and looked at the sky. It was dark and silent. Then another shadow appeared.

People.

There were people leaping against the sky.

* * *

Neji knew it was late but he couldn't sleep. He stared out his window for a long time and was now pacing his bedroom. Sighing, he crossed the room and went to the front room, debating whether or not to go for a walk. He wanted to clear his head.

Ironically, having no memories had caused his head to feel strangely packed. Packed with worry and uncertainty. With wonder and concern. Confusion and fear.

Neji had no recollection of any event in his life that had occurred more than a few days ago. He wasn't all that inconvenienced by it, but he did have a strong sense of loss for the memories he no longer had. The worst part about it was feeling like he didn't know who he really was.

He thought he could start fresh and make a new life for himself, but that idea soon became a distant memory. He wanted to remember his life. The one he had before he lost all memory of it. He wanted to pick up where he left off and not after starting a new life. He wanted the old one. His real life.

The people he knew, who knew him; he wanted to remember. He wanted to remember the relationships he had with those people and why things were the way they were.

Something caught Neji's attention from the window and he went outside to check it out. It looked like a large dog at first. As he got closer, he realized it was a human being. He crossed the yard and went into the street. The hooded figure was heading for Hinata's house. At first, he thought it was her father returning home but that thought soon passed. He sensed something wasn't right. He may have not known much about this village or the people in it, but he knew this figure was trouble.

The hooded figure moved to the open window and climbed inside the house. A moment later, Neji heard Hinata scream.

"Hinata!"

He didn't know what he was doing. His body was in motion. Something told him he had to move. Neji liked Hinata very much and wanted to protect her if he could, but something else was driving him into that house. It was like a sense of duty. He had no idea where this feeling was coming from, but embraced it and went inside.

The figure had a hold of Hinata's hair and was pulling her towards him, kunai in hand.

That was a ninja tool. This man must have been a ninja.

"Let her go!" Neji ordered without thinking.

The figure didn't obey. He roughly yanked Hinata closer and raised the blade.

Before he knew it, Neji's feet were carrying him over to the figure at a great speed. Without thinking, he threw his arm forward to shove the figure away. He did a lot more than push. As soon as his hand made contact, the figure was sent flying sideways down the hall.

Neji stood stunned, staring down the hall. He looked at his hand in amazement.

Did he really just do that? Was he really that strong?

The figure stood up, hood removed. It was a man.

Neji looked away from his hand to Hinata. "Are you alright?"

Hinata was panting but unharmed.

Neji turned back in time to see the man coming towards him with the weapon.

It was instinct driving Neji to stand between him and Hinata. He wanted to protect her though he didn't understand the full extent of why he felt this way. She was kind to him so he wanted to repay her for how well she treated him, but something told him there was more to it than that. There was more of a reason why he wanted to protect her. Without understanding why, he held out his hands to shove the man away from her.

It was just a rough shove and no more than that. The man continued to attack and Neji continued to shove. He had no idea what he was doing. All he knew was that he had to protect Hinata and himself. This man had a knife and Neji had nothing but his fists.

"Out of my way, boy!"

The man threw his arm into Neji from the side and slammed him into the wall. Neji's shoulder made contact first, then his head. Neji slumped against the wall and slid down to the floor. His head was spinning.

He lifted his gaze and saw the man coming after him. Neji couldn't move. The man looked blurry.

When he looked back, he saw the man being thrown back out the window he entered from by Hinata. The man started to come after her, then Hinata slammed him with her fists over and over again, crying out in anger. She slammed both palms into the man's chest and he was sent flying into the street. Hinata had one foot on the windowsill, ready to pursue him but the man got up and fled.

Hinata turned back into the house and went to Neji's side. "Are you alright?"

Neji lifted his head weakly. "Yeah... I am..." Hinata had protected him. He had no idea this girl was so strong.

Hinata was concerned for Neji in so many ways. She was concerned that he had injured himself, but there was something else that had her concerned. It was the fact that Neji was overpowered so easily. It didn't matter how strong Neji was if he couldn't remember how to use it. He couldn't remember how to fight, which meant he needed protection.

The roles had been reversed. Now Hinata was stronger than him and Neji was the one in need of help.

Hinata sat Neji up and checked him for injuries. With all the noise they had made, she knew the other ninja in the area in addition to the rest of the clan would hunt down the trespasser. She didn't have to chase the man down. She had to look after Neji. That was her job right now.

* * *

Naruto looked up in time to see something pass by his window. He hurried over and looked outside. He could hear the clanging of weapons in the still night air. There was a fight going on down the street. Naruto quickly grabbed his kunai and rushed outside.

His decent to the street was intercepted by an enemy with a long blade. He swung at the same time Naruto did and their weapons collided, sending sparks into the air. Naruto kicked him away and pushed himself away from the wall with his feet. He landed in the street and blocked as the weapon came at his head again.

Hearing the sounds of fighting, Sai came running, keeping close to the buildings. He saw Naruto locked in battle and gasped in fear. He had never seen this before.

Naruto threw a punch at the man and he staggered backwards. Naruto used the kunai to stab his wrist and the man kicked him away, pulling his arm free from the blade. Naruto chased him down and the man sliced the air over Naruto's head with his blade. Naruto ducked and kicked the man's leg out from under him. The man started to fall but quickly pushed himself up on his uninjured hand and kicked Naruto in the face.

Sai had never seen a ninja battle before and he had certainly never seen Naruto fight. He looked so strong and so cool. Sai almost forgot about the danger and stood watching them battle in the street.

Just then another shadow appeared beside Sai and took a swing at his skull. Sai yelped and fell backwards, the man missing his head.

Naruto heard him yelp and turned his head. "Sai! Run!" He knew Sai couldn't fight in this state and would be an easy target. "Get out of here! Run, Sai! Run!"

"Ah!" Sai got to his feet and ran as fast as he could. The man who attacked him followed.

"Hey! Stop!" Naruto shouted. "Leave him alone!"

Naruto tried to create some clones, but the enemy he was dealing with wouldn't let him make any hand signs. Naruto couldn't help Sai until he finished this fight first.

Sai ran blindly down the street and around corners. He had no idea where he was going. He just had to get away. Huffing and puffing, he turned down another alley and found himself trapped. Unlike other allies, this one was blocked by a mesh fence. There were boxes and trashcans stacked up against it but they were on the other side. He couldn't climb up. Sai had nowhere to go. It was a deadend.

"Ah... Ah... Ah..." Sai was frantic. He didn't know what to do. He spun around and saw the figure standing behind him with weapon in hand. He had a kunai closed in his right fist. Sai backed away, gasping. His back hit the fence and knew he could go no further.

The man moved in slowly. The man's hood was up so he couldn't see his attacker. Even if he wasn't wearing the hood, Sai wouldn't be able to see him anyway. It was too dark and the streetlights didn't reach this far into the alley.

Was this how it ended? Was he to die right now without ever knowing who did him in? Without knowing who he was? Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. He didn't know anything about himself or the life he lived. Maybe it would be best if it ended here.

No. He couldn't die without knowing who he was. Sai still wanted to know so much. He couldn't die without remembering who he was. It would be such a pointless and meaningless end.

But what could he do?

"Leave me alone!" Sai yelled in desperation. "Please, go away! Leave me alone!"

The man didn't pause for a single second. He kept coming.

"Don't hurt me! Go away!" Sai turned his back to his attacker, his fingers interlocking with the mesh fence. "No! No! Please! Don't! No!"

The man raised his weapon.

"Get away from him! Cha!"

Someone came down from above and landed between him and Sai.

Sai turned and saw Sakura punch the attacker away with her fist. The kunai flew from his hand and landed on the ground with a clang.

"You alright?" Sakura asked, turning around. "Are you hurt? Did he hurt you?"

Sai shook his head from side to side, tears running down his cheeks. He was so afraid he was crying.

Afraid for his life. Helpless and afraid.

Sakura gave him a look of pity. This wasn't the Sai that she knew. This one couldn't fight. He couldn't do anything. He could only cower in a corner and beg for his life. It was pathetic.

Sakura truly felt sorry for him. She was worried about him. Now she saw just how much they needed to restore his memory. Sai desperately needed it. He just wasn't him without it.

The man started to get up and reached for his fallen kunai.

"Wait here," Sakura told Sai and ran down the alley. She had to protect Sai because he couldn't protect himself. She had to defeat this enemy and protect her teammate.

The man tried to stab Sakura with the kunai but she moved aside just in time. She evaded the next swing, too. The man tried to stab her and she avoided that one as well. Sakura threw a punch at the man's head and he ducked.

He jumped back and took out a second kunai. Sakura chased him down the street and threw another punch at him. She missed and toppled a streetlight instead. The man stepped behind her and tried to take her down but she kicked him in the stomach and sent him staggering.

"I'll teach this guy to mess with one of my friends. Especially one who's begging for mercy!" Sakura threw another punch at the man's head and he moved aside before it could land. "You've got a lot of nerve attacking someone who's begging for their life. How cowardly."

This time when Sakura threw a punch at him, the man caught her arm and flipped her onto her back. He stood on her stomach and clutched both kunai in the same hand. He plunged them straight down and Sakura threw out her other hand to block them. She stopped them from reaching her neck but she didn't have enough strength to threw him off from this position. Sakura raised her leg as high as she could and kicked him between the legs. The man stepped off her stomach and Sakura got up. She went for the man's face with her fist but he vanished from sight.

She spun around, anticipating his next move and punched him in the jaw. The man tumbled but quickly rose to his feet again. He wasn't giving up.

Sakura threw punch after punch and the man evaded and threw his own flurry of punches back at her. They were locked in a fist fight with no way out. To change things up a little, Sakura jumped back and threw a kunai at the man's head. It just grazed his hood and continued its path down the street.

The man then wove several hand signs and came at Sakura with a new attack. "Lightning Blade!"

"Wha..?" Taken aback by this new attack, Sakura hesitated as his hand came at her from the front. She quickly reacted and jumped away.

The technique left scorch marks in the ground where she had been and the ground was broken up as if someone had just driven a jackhammer through it.

The man stood up and jumped into the air. He landed on a roof and ran for the front gate.

Sakura followed him with her eyes, still stunned from the event that had just taken place. She couldn't make sense of it. Finally, she spoke. It was quiet and dazed, but her voice managed to form what she was thinking into actual words.

"Kakashi-sensei?"

* * *

Naruto forced his opponent away and made his hand sign. "Shadow Clone-"

"Let's go!"

Naruto's attention went to the man leaping from building to building. The man Naruto was fighting sprang back and followed his comrade. "Hey! Wait a minute!" The men were followed by members of the Leaf. The ninja would not let these people escape. Naruto started to chase after them, then remembered Sai had run off in another direction a few minutes ago. He had to check on him and make sure he was ok.

Naruto watched the men flee and turned away to search for Sai.

"Sai! Sai, where are you?" Naruto looked down every alley until he found him clutching the fence behind him in fear. "Sai!"

He looked up and ran to Naruto. His eyes were red and puffy as if he had been crying. Sai wrapped his arms around Naruto and held him. Naruto started to complain then noticed Sai's quivering shoulders. He had been crying.

"Sakura told me to stay there. This guy attacked me. He had a knife. He..." Sai sniffled and dug his nails into Naruto's back. "I was so scared."

Naruto stiffly patted Sai's back, stunned by Sai's demeanor. He couldn't remember ever seeing Sai cry before and he had certainly never seen him this scared before. He was like a different person.

"It's ok. It's ok." Naruto comforted Sai, stroking his back gently. "It's ok."

Sai had calmed down but he was still very upset by what happened. "Naruto..." he said softly. "I... I don't think I want to stay in this village anymore. I want to leave."

Naruto pulled away and looked Sai square in the face. "What? What are you saying? Why would you..?"

"I was attacked by someone and... I thought I was going to die. Die without ever knowing who I was." He didn't feel safe in this village anymore. Not that he really did in the first place. Nothing here felt familiar to him. He only stayed because he had nowhere else to go and liked the people who were kind to him. "I don't want to stay here if it means I'm going to be attacked again."

"That stuff doesn't happen a lot," Naruto assured him. The village had been attacked before but Naruto didn't want to tell Sai that for fear he would think this was a regular occurrence.

"But it happened. I'm afraid it will happen again. I don't want to stay in a place I'm going to be attacked. I was so scared and didn't know what was going on or what to do. If Sakura hadn't chased that guy away..."

"That's why you need to stay here," Naruto said firmly. "We can protect you if you're in danger. If you leave, you'll be on your own. Please, Sai. You have to stay here. This is your home and we're your friends. Stay put."

"What if I get attacked again?"

"Then I'll look after you. I'll protect you. I promise."

When Naruto said those words, Sai believed him. It wasn't the amnesia making him naive. He trusted in those words. Somehow, he felt as if he knew he could believe him. He couldn't remember any of Naruto's past promises or any events that had taken place, but Sai's heart remembered this feeling. The strength of Naruto's promises. How he was sworn to his word and would do everything in his power not to break it. When Naruto made a promise, he meant it.

Sai no longer wished to protest or complain. If Naruto wanted him to stay, then he would stay.

He still wanted to leave but if Naruto was asking him, then he would do it. He would stay in the village.

For now.

* * *

Now it gets interesting.

Please review! ^-^


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

Late that night, Tsunade held an emergency meeting at her office. She demanded to know who had entered the village and for any further information leading to their motive and their identities. Several ninja reported to her, most of them having faced the enemy first-hand. Others chased the enemy to the gate and watched them leave. No one pursued.

"I see. So everyone in the village is accounted for."

"Yes, Milady."

Tsunade looked down. "Did anyone see their faces?"

"They all kept their hoods up. However, Hinata did see one of their faces. She didn't recognize him, though. They're obviously ninja but we couldn't find a headband with the symbol of their village anywhere on their person."

"So other than the man Hinata saw in her home, none of the people who attacked us have been identified?"

"No, ma'am."

Sakura stood in front of the Hokage's desk with her lips tightly pressed together. She knew she had to speak up but she couldn't believe it herself. Part of her thought she was mistaken. It couldn't have been real.

"Why didn't anyone chase after them?" Naruto wanted to know. "Why just ran them to the exit and then watch them go? We've got to find these guys."

"Agreed, but we'll need more information for a proper pursuit." Tsunade then turned to look at Sakura. "Is there something you wanted to add, Sakura?"

She flinched when she heard her name. "Uh... Well..." She had to say it. It was important information. "Milady... I battled one of the ninja who attacked us. He had Sai cornered in an alley."

"Why Sai was alone we'll address later," Tsunade muttered. "Go on."

"Well..." Sakura fumbled for words. "The ninja I attacked was strong. He was a man, I know that. And... The one I fought... He used the Lightning Blade."

Tsunade's eyes widened in surprise. "What? He what?"

"The ninja I fought used the Lightning Blade," Sakura repeated. "I... I think it was Kakashi-sensei."

"That's impossible," Naruto said loudly. "There's no way! It couldn't have been him. There's no way Kakashi-sensei would attack the village like that."

"The Lightning Blade is his jutsu," Sakura insisted.

"It could have been someone else with the same jutsu. It doesn't mean anything."

"The Lightning Blade is Kakashi's original jutsu," said Tsunade. "It's the one technique he didn't copy."

"So what? It could have been a variation," Naruto insisted. "I mean, Sasuke was able to use something similar, so why not this guy?"

"It was a variation of the Lightning Blade, you're right, but it's still different."

"It was the Lightning Blade," Sakura said firmly. "I saw it and he called it by that name. There's no mistaking it. It was Kakashi's jutsu."

"Was it Kakashi-sensei who said it?" Naruto asked her directly. "Was it his voice?"

"I..." Sakura turned away.

"Was it Kakashi-sensei's voice or not?"

She didn't want to conform it just in case she was mistaken. She didn't want to condemn Kakashi before they had all the facts. "I.. I don't know. I can't say for certain. It all happened so fast."

"Then it could have been an impostor. Someone could have transformed themselves into Kakashi-sensei and used the Lightning Blade."

"No," said Tsunade. "Even using the transformation jutsu won't allow a person to mimic another ninja's jutsu. They can't copy it unless they know it themselves. If it was Kakashi's jutsu, then it was Kakashi and not an impostor."

"But did you see if it was Kakashi-sensei or not?"

Sakura shook her head. "No, he kept his hood up. I never saw his face."

"So it could have been someone else."

"Naruto, you're reaching," Tusnade told him. "It might be hard for you to accept, but..."

"It doesn't make any sense!" Naruto yelled. "Why would Kakashi-sensei attack the village? He would never do that! And if he saw Sakura... He did see you, right? You weren't wearing a hood or anything. If you were then he could have been fighting you by mistake. But he knew it was you so..."

Now even Naruto was starting to think it might have been Kakashi. He knew it couldn't have been, but he was losing the argument.

"Maybe he was blackmailed into it." Naruto looked from Tsunade to Sakura. "That makes sense, right? The enemy could be forcing him to attack us. Or maybe it's Genjutsu."

"He didn't act like someone under Genjutsu," said Sakura. "But since I didn't see his face, it's a possibility."

"See? See? Someone could be manipulating him!"

Tsunade looked down at her desk. "I can't see someone like Kakashi being blackmailed so easily. Genjutsu is more likely. I still don't think it's an imposter." She sat back in her chair with a heavy sigh. "I'll look into this further."

Naruto hoped that meant she would find a way to prove it wasn't really Kakashi. Since no one saw his face, Naruto was convinced it wasn't really him. It must have been someone who could use the same technique.

It couldn't have been him.

"How is Sai doing, by the way?"

"Shaken up but alright," said Naruto. "He said he wanted to leave the village but I convinced him to stay."

"I'm not surprised," Tsunade admitted. "After being attacked like that, he must be thinking this is a dangerous place to be. Make sure you keep an eye on him. Do not leave him alone. He needs people with him now more than ever. Keep him calm and make sure he doesn't go anywhere by himself."

"Where would he go? He doesn't know where he is or where anything is."

"That might not stop him from wandering around by himself. Lost and wandering are practically the same thing for him right now. He might not see a difference since he's already feeling lost and confused in his own village. He might assume it's no different than walking around alone in the woods. What's one unfamiliar place to another? Keep an eye on him."

"Sure thing. I'm on it."

"In the meantime, I'll do some investigating of my own. You're dismissed until then."

* * *

Naruto took Sai back with him to his apartment to spend the night. Naruto managed to piece together that Sai was outside trying to find his way to Naruto's place. If only he hadn't been looking for him, he wouldn't have been in danger. Naruto should have listened when he was informed that Sai and Neji shouldn't have been left alone. He just wanted to sleep in his own bed and have Sai stay at his own apartment. He should have reached a better compromise.

So tonight, Sai would stay with Naruto in his apartment. This way Sai wouldn't go out looking for him again.

Naruto was willing to lose this battle over where Sai would spend the night. He was too busy thinking about what Sakura had told them in the Hokage's office. He still didn't believe it was really Kakashi. Not unless he saw it with his own eyes.

Sai stayed on the floor while Naruto had the bed to himself. While Naruto thought about the Kakashi situation, Sai was busy thinking of his own dilemmas.

Both Naruto and Sakura seemed surprise to see him burst into tears at the first sign of danger. Was he really not like that normally? Was he really so different?

He was in a ninja village and he was supposed to be a ninja himself. Perhaps he wouldn't be like this if he remembered how to be a ninja. They all seemed so brave when disaster struck and knew what to do in the face of danger. They didn't run away and cry. They fought back. They protected him and drove off the threat.

Sai wasn't like that. Not anymore. Maybe at one time but not now. He couldn't remember a time when he was like that. That was the problem. He couldn't remember.

But they did.

"Naruto?"

Stirred from his thoughts, Naruto rolled over to face Sai on the floor. "Yeah?"

"Can you teach me how to be myself again?"

Naruto frowned. "Granny said you can't force your memory to return. It will come back when it-"

"Not that. I mean... Can you teach me how to fight?"

Naruto propped himself up on his elbows. "You want me to train you in ninja arts?"

"Yeah. You said I was a ninja but I don't remember any of it. If you train me, maybe it will come back. Maybe I'll remember faster. Even if I don't, I'll at least know how to fight. That way... That way I won't have to be rescued."

Sai couldn't do anything but cry and beg for his life. He knew from the looks on their faces that he wasn't normally like that. Since he didn't remember, it was all he knew how to do. He couldn't defend himself so there wasn't much else he could do. He was afraid and that was a natural response to being terrified.

He didn't want to resort to crying in the face of danger. Not if he could do something else.

"Please show me how to fight. Teach me how to be like myself again."

Naruto saw no reason to refuse. If Sai learned how to fight, whether or not it would bring back any memories, he would at least know how to defend himself the next time he was in trouble. He wouldn't have to be rescued. He could defend himself.

"Sure thing. I'll start your training first thing tomorrow. How about that?"

Sai smiled and nodded. "Thanks."

Sai asking to be trained by him helped take Naruto's mind off of Kakashi for a few minutes. Now Naruto was thinking about how he should go about training him and what they should start out with. Other than Konohamaru, he had never really trained anyone; and he had only taught Konohamaru one jutsu.

Perhaps he shouldn't teach that one to Sai tomorrow.

* * *

The next morning, Sai began his training with Naruto. Naruto wasn't entirely sure what to do, so he decided to show Sai the basics. Hand-to-hand combat was first. She showed Sai the proper way to punch and how to block. They moved slow at first, then they picked up the pace. Sai was doing fairly well, so Naruto decided to show him some more moves.

As they trained, Sai had a strange sense that he had done this before. This proved that he was a ninja before. His body knew this was all review but his mind was still struggling to make sense of it. Sai decided to turn off his brain for the duration of the training so he wouldn't over-think or get distracted. His body knew what to do.

This must have been instinct. Sai was so well-trained that he was able to pick up something his mind no longer remembered. His body was able to react better than expected. Sai still fumbled, but he wasn't doing as bad as he thought he would. They were moving along at a decent pace.

"You're doing great, Sai. At this rate, you'll be an expert in no time. A few more moves and I'll be your opponent."

"Be what?" Sai looked at him in surprise. "You mean we'll have to fight each other?"

"It's a good way to show you what a real battle would be like. Sparring is a good way to train, too. Don't worry. I'll go easy on you."

Sai was nervous but he trusted Naruto.

Did he just trust Naruto because he was kind to him? Or was it because deep down he was still connected through a bond he no longer remembered? Perhaps he trusted Naruto because he already had trust in his heart.

"Naruto."

He turned and saw Neji looking at him. "When did you..?"

"Can you train me as well?"

"Wha..?"

Neji's abrupt question was aimed directly at him and he wasn't taking no for an answer.

"You're already training Sai. May I join you?"

"Sure, I guess... But why would you..?"

Neji got straight to the point. "Last night, Hinata was attacked by a man in hooded clothing. I managed to shove him off of her but he came at me and I couldn't do anything. Hinata protected me from his attack. I saw how strong she was."

It wasn't that Neji felt he had to be stronger than a girl or saw it as shameful that he was protected by one. It was a feeling he couldn't shake but couldn't identify, coupled with a sense of pride. Pride and duty.

"I don't want to have to be protected. I want to do my part. If I am a ninja, then I should act like it." Neji looked straight into Naruto's eyes. "Next time, I want to be able to protect Hinata. She's been so kind to me, I want to be able to do something for her in return. So please train me as well."

"Sure. I can do that. Let me show you the basics."

He trained Neji and Sai together. Punching and kicking and blocking, he covered it all. Neji felt he already knew this but it was all new to him. They trained for hours. Sai wanted to rest for a bit while Neji wanted to continue. He pushed through the aches and pains to get stronger.

Naruto decided to spar with him first while Sai sat and watched. He told Neji to hit him. This was Neji's first time putting what he learned to the test. He threw his fist into Naruto and sent him flying backwards. Neji stared in stunned amazement at his own strength. He was already strong. His body was already trained, he just had to remember how to use it, same as Sai.

"Guess I don't have to lift weights or anything," Neji commented bashfully.

Seeing Neji act bashful of all things made Naruto wonder if this was a new person he was looking at or the Neji he was hiding deep down inside. How much of this was a raw personality and how much wasn't? Neji and Sai were both puzzles Naruto wanted to figure out. Was this how they would be without certain past experiences or were these personalities they were coming into?

The training became repetitive. Even Naruto had noticed that he was teaching them the same thing over and over. Neji asked if there was anything more and Naruto wasn't sure how to respond. He hadn't covered jutsu yet and wasn't sure how to go about it. That might be more difficult to teach.

"What about that thing you and Shikamaru brought up?" Neji asked. "Some sort of eye trick or something."

"You mean the Byakugan?"

"Yeah, that! Can you show me how to do that? I'm excited to learn that."

"Uh... Um... Well... Um..."

"What?"

Naruto scratched his cheek. "That's sort of... your jutsu. I don't know how to do it so it would be impossible for me to teach it to you."

"Oh." Neji looked disappointed.

"What about me?" asked Sai.

"Well, you have a drawing jutsu where the things you draw come to life."

Sai's eyes started to sparkle. "Really?"

"But I don't know how you do that, either. It's not a jutsu I know. It's your thing."

"So you can't teach it to me..?"

Naruto wanted to help them, even if he didn't fully know what he was doing. "Wait here." Naruto left and came back with a sketchbook and some ink. "Here. Practice drawing with these." He really wasn't sure what else to do.

Sai looked at the paper and ink with a quizzical expression. He picked up a brush and held it in his hand. Unsure what else to do, Sai dipped the brush in the ink and drew a line across the paper.

"Ah..." Sai breathed. This felt familiar to him. It felt fun. He sat in the grass and started making one stroke after another across the page. He wasn't drawing an animal or anything in particular. He was just letting his whimsy guide his hand across the paper.

Naruto watched Sai, wondering if he remembered doing this in the past. Sai was so involved, he didn't notice Naruto standing behind him. Enthralled, Sai kept moving the brush across the paper, like a toddler fingerprinting. He was having so much fun, he didn't consider this training at all.

Naruto left him alone to draw and turned back to Neji. Before he could come up with an idea, someone else showed up.

"Neji." Hinata went right up to him without glancing at Naruto. "What are you doing out here? Is everything ok? I was worried you got lost walking around by yourself."

"I'm alright, Hinata." He gave her a tender smile.

Naruto had never seen Neji so pleasant and gentle around Hinata. She didn't seem too taken aback by it so maybe this was how he was when no one else was around.

"I was training with Naruto," he told her.

"Oh. Oh..." Hinata glanced in his direction and quickly turned away. "You were, were you? That's nice."

"But Naruto doesn't think there's much more he can show me right now. He says he can't teach me this Byakugan thing because he can't use it himself."

Hinata turned back to Neji. "Oh? Well, um... Maybe then... I can teach you."

"You can teach me?"

"Y- Yes. I can use the Byakugan, too, so I would be able to show you how. I can be your trainer." She looked away nervously. "If... If you want."

Neji jumped at the chance. "Yes, yes. Please teach me. Show me how."

A small blush appeared on her face. "O- Ok..." She built up her confidence and faced him with her head held high. "Ok. I'll show you how." She gestured further away. "Over here."

Neji followed her and they faced each other.

"The Hyuga clan specializes in the Gentle Fist. It's a style you and I can both use. Let me show you some things." Hinata started to demonstrate some techniques which left Neji starring at her in disbelief. "Now you."

Neji tried to mimic her stance but his legs wobbled and he had to take a wider stance to keep his balance. He threw punches but Hinata corrected him, telling him to use an open fist. He had to use his palms, not his knuckles. Neji kept trying but he wasn't doing as well as he had with Naruto's hand-to-hand combat lessons.

"Try this." Hinata knew she had to get Neji to move the same way she did. He had to mirror her in order for this to be effective. She took Neji's hands and tied a cloth around her wrist to his. Now he had no choice but to follow her movements. "Like this. Hyah!"

Hinata threw her hand out and Neji's arm followed. Now he had a good feeling of what he was supposed to be doing. With their wrists bound, Hinata forced his arm to mimic whatever hers did. Her left arm forced his right to do whatever she did as fast as she did.

Now that he had a feel for what he was supposed to do, Neji freed himself and threw out his hand. This time, he did it perfectly.

"Wonderful. And again."

This was actually fun. To get their bodies to flow in unison, he held her hands and stepped where she stepped. It felt more like dancing than fighting. Moving as she did helped him learn a lot faster and it was a fun way to do it.

Back-to-back, side-to-side, thrusting their arms out and stepping perfectly for the best results. He was learning the Gentle Fist quickly.

"You're doing so good, Neji."

He smiled, feeling proud of himself. Who knew training could be this much fun? If he kept this up, he might be an expert by this evening.

Right now, he just wanted to get stronger. He wanted to be able to fight for himself and fight to protect. To protect those he cared about.

Seeing how Neji was taken care of, Naruto went back to see if Sai made any progress. To no great surprise, Sai was still drawing. Smile firmly plastered on his face, Sai doodled and sketched to his heart's content, rarely looking up from the paper.

"How's it coming, Sai?"

He glanced up. "Huh?"

"Have you been able to..?" Naruto trailed off, realizing that Sai had not tried to use his jutsu at all. He was just drawing. "Never mind."

"This is fun." Sai smiled an honest smile at him. "I had no idea I could draw. I had no idea it was this much fun. I really like it."

Drawing was very soothing to him. It kept him calm and it made him happy. All these feelings... Was it because drawing was a passion of his? Was this a part of him and a window to who he truly was? He had no idea and no longer cared. He just wanted to keep drawing because he liked it.

"You keep doing what you're doing, Sai," Naruto told him. With any luck, Sai would regain some memories. Naruto didn't want to bother him too much, fearing he could add unnecessary pressure on him or distract him just as a memory started to resurface.

Naruto looked from Sai back to Neji who was still mimicking Hinata's every move.

This was good. Maybe they would regain some of their memories quicker training like this. Doing something familiar was probably better than just hearing about it.

Naruto was confident things would get better from this moment on.

Things would get better.

* * *

What a wonderful day! Neji felt so happy and accomplished. He could hardly contain himself.

He jumped around his room, throwing punch after punch at his shadow and slamming the air with his palm. He was practicing everything he had learned that day. Some of it felt like review to him and other things felt completely new. He learned so much today. Not just fighting but also things about himself. He had no idea how much stamina he had. He thought he would get tired after an hour or two but he was able to keep going. He had to take breaks every now and again, but he was surprised how far he could push himself before needing to rest.

Neji threw himself on the bed and looked at the ceiling with a smile. "Today was great. I can't believe how much I learned. Hinata's so good. She was so kind and she really helped me a lot. I wish I could remember our relationship before..." Neji sighed. "I wonder how many times she helped me in the past? She said I helped her a lot but I don't remember any of that."

He often wondered what his relationships were like with other people. How he was supposed to act, what he thought of them. He wondered if he thought about them differently from how he did now.

Neji stared at his ceiling for a while, absorbing everything that has happened to him so far.

He knew he wasn't the same as he was before but he still didn't know who he really was. Should he do what felt natural or should he try to be what they told him to be? He didn't know. It was a puzzle, alright, and there were so many missing pieces.

He was driven to get stronger, to be at the level he was before. He didn't know for certain what was driving him. Perhaps it was instinct. Perhaps it was a longing to be the person he was before for the people who knew him. Perhaps it was something else. Something he didn't know or something he knew but couldn't put into words.

Lying on top of the covers, Neji closed his eyes and fell asleep, his body and mind tired from the past few days.

* * *

Sai spent the night at Naruto's apartment again. Naruto no longer complained. He knew what it was like to be in a place all alone, even if it was home. Even he felt lonely in his own apartment. It was nice to have company from time to time. As long as they were together, they both felt a little less lonely.

"I had fun today," Sai said from the sleeping bag on the floor. "I had no idea drawing could be so much fun. I really liked it."

"Glad to hear it, Sai." Naruto didn't mind Sai repeating himself. It just meant he was excited. "Tired at all?"

"A little."

Naruto wanted Sai to fall asleep so he could sneak out for a bit. He had a gut feeling that the ninja who attacked them the other night would be back and wanted to find out who they were. Most importantly, he wanted to find out if the Lightning Blade user was really Kakashi or not.

Sai went on and on about the fun he had that day and how much he appreciated Naruto letting him stay in his apartment for another night. He enjoyed their sleepovers.

Soon, Sai became drowsy and rolled over to sleep.

Naruto made sure Sai was really asleep before climbing out of bed and over to the window. He summoned a single clone and told him to watch over Sai until he got back. "Stay here," he whispered to the clone and climbed out the window. This way if Sai woke up, he would see Naruto and not leave the apartment. He would also be protected in case anything happened.

Naruto crept outside and down the street. He jumped onto a rooftop and sat there, looking towards the main gate of the village. If anything happened, if anyone came into the village tonight, he would be ready.

Hours ticked by, or so it seemed. Naruto was sitting for so long his body started to get stiff. Insects chirped and dogs barked. Other than that, everything was quiet. He sat and waited. And waited.

Something moved.

Naruto stood up, facing the direction of the main gate. Shadows were moving from roof to roof, six in total.

It was time to take action.

Naruto drew his weapon and went to meet them head-on.

The figures spread out, each going a different direction. Glass shattered and people shrieked. Dogs barked and doors were slammed. Naruto had no idea what these people were doing, but he was going to put a stop to it.

He went to the nearest building and grabbed the hooded figure. He ripped off his hood and got a good look at his face. It wasn't Kakashi.

"Brat!" The man took a swing at Naruto's head but he ducked and kicked him in the stomach.

They both fled from the building, taking their fight to the street. Naruto had no time to bother with this person now that he knew he wasn't Kakashi. He had to find out who the others were, but he couldn't let this man continue what he was doing. They had to fight.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Six clones appeared and attacked at once. Naruto made two more and sent them off in different directions to look for the one who entered the building down the street. If that one wasn't Kakashi, then he would widen his search until every hood was removed and every person was identified.

"Fire Style, Flame Shuriken!"

One by one, Naruto's clones were defeated and he had to make more. The next dozen were also defeated. This man was strong. Naruto threw a kunai at the man's head and he ducked. Naruto threw another which the man caught before it could sink into his forehead.

"Let me return it to you," the man said and threw it back at Naruto.

At the same time, Naruto's other clones were defeated down the street after unmasking the other ninja. It wasn't Kakashi, either. Naruto had to widen his search but he couldn't leave this man alone. He had to defeat him first.

"Shadow Clone-"

"Not so fast!" The man grabbed one of Naruto's hands and flipped him into the air. Naruto was thrown onto his back and the man stepped on his stomach. "If you want to take me on, do it yourself. Using clones are cheating. Let's do this one-on-one, shall we?"

Growling, Naruto stabbed the man's leg with a kunai from his belt. He yelled and stepped off Naruto, but not before kicking him in the face.

If this man wanted a fight, he was going to get one. Naruto came at him with another jutsu.

"Rasengan!"

The man bent over backwards and kicked Naruto's elbow, sending the jutsu skyward.

"Not bad, kid. But I'm better."

"Yo!"

Both Naruto and the man looked up. Another hooded figure was on the roof above them.

"We got their attention! Let's get the hell out of here!"

The man Naruto was fighting looked back at him with a smirk. "Guess we'll settle this another time, kid. Later!"

Naruto reached for the man's cloak but he was too fast. The two men started running for the gate.

"Get back here!"

The man Naruto fought turned his head to yell back at him. "Seriously? If I'm running away, why the hell would I go back when you tell me to? Clearly I wanna leave and telling me to stop isn't going to work. Seems stupid if you ask me."

"Graugh!" Clenching his fists, Naruto gave chase. "Stop!"

"Like I'm really going to stop!" the man laughed. "Can you believe this kid?"

This man wasn't Kakashi and the man who told him to leave didn't sound like Kakashi. The one down the street also wasn't Kakashi. This meant Naruto had three other people to check in order to make sure Kakashi wasn't among them.

As they approached the gate, three other ninja joined the fleeing duo. Then another. The last person to join the fleeing group caught Naruto's attention because he was closer. He wasn't one of the ones Naruto had already unmasked so he had to pull off this man's hood.

Naruto reached for his cloak.

He sped up. He was just out of reach.

Naruto wasn't going to give up. He had to see this man's face. Whoever he was, Naruto had to see him. He had to know who these people were. He had to know who was attacking the village.

They passed the gate and started to enter the long path into the woods.

"Wait! Stop!" Naruto threw himself forward and grabbed onto the cloak of the man closest to him. His fingers wrapped tightly around the worn fabric and held on. The man kept pulling, still running away. "I said stop!"

Naruto yanked backwards and the man pulled forward. Naruto reached up with his other hand and pulled at the hood. The man twisted and the hood slipped off. The man slapped Naruto's hand away but he refused to let go. The hem of the cloak ripped off in Naruto's hand and he stumbled backwards. The man stumbled as well, but his body was already turned in his direction resulting from having his hem ripped off mid-stride.

Now they were facing each other.

The hood was off.

Naruto stared, waiting to see his face.

The man lifted his head.

It was Kakashi.

Naruto's jaw dropped. "No..."

He couldn't believe it. It must have been a trick. It couldn't possibly be true. There was no way.

It was his hair, his mask, his one visible eye. It was without a doubt Kakashi. The only thing different about him was his missing headband. In its place was an eye-patch, covering his famous Sharingan.

Kakashi gave Naruto a hateful look and snatched the torn fabric out of his hand.

"That's... impossible... There's no way..." Naruto was so shocked he gave up the torn fabric without a fight.

All this time, he was convinced it couldn't have been Kakashi. It must have been someone using his jutsu. The fact that no one saw his face gave Naruto hope that it was someone else. Now there was no doubt. It was Kakashi who attacked them that night and again this night. It was him.

But why? Why would he do this? That part still didn't make sense.

Why was Kakashi attacking them? Why was any of this happening? What was his motive? His goal? His plan? Why would he willingly attack them like this?

Seeing the others continuing without him, Kakashi turned and started to chase after them.

Seeing him leave brought Naruto back to his senses. He instinctively called out to him. "Kakashi-sensei!"

Before he could think of so many questions to ask him. Now he could think of none. He still had those questions but his mouth couldn't form the words. All he could do was say his name. He couldn't even tell him to wait.

Without having to tell him to, Kakashi stopped in his tracks and turned.

Naruto stared at him in silence, so many questions buzzing about in his brain but unable to ask any of them.

Kakashi stared back and said, "Do I know you?"

"Huh?" was all Naruto could say.

Kakashi frowned, staring at him with his one visible eye. "Have we met?"

"... Uh..."

Naruto's senses were dulled by overwhelming feelings of shock and despair. His sense of hearing was a few steps behind the rest of his body and his brain couldn't make sense of what was being said and what he was thinking.

For a brief moment, Naruto had thought he was the one asking if he knew Kakashi. His mind must have been wondering it since Naruto couldn't believe this was really Kakashi standing before him. A moment later, his hearing and mind had caught up with the rest of him and was able to confirm that it was Kakashi who had asked the question.

However, this only made him even more confused.

Kakashi's head spun around, realizing that he had fallen behind the rest of the group. Kakashi quickly reached into his pocket and threw a smoke bomb at his feet. Kakashi and the entire road disappeared in the thick smoke. By the time it cleared, Kakashi and everyone who had attacked the village were gone.

Naruto stared down the empty street without a word.

He couldn't think of anything to say.

He couldn't even move.

* * *

What do you think?

Please review! ^-^


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6:**

"Were there five or were there six?" Tsunade asked. "I need a number."

"Six," said the Jonin in the office. "We saw six people flee the village. We allowed them to pass through the gate as instructed. No one pursued them outside."

"Well, except for this one," said another Jonin, looking at Naruto. "Found him just outside the gate. Guess he tried to run them off or something. He didn't get too far so I assume he wasn't trying to follow."

"Thank you. You two are dismissed for the time being. I'll have a chat with Naruto here."

The Jonin left the office. Naruto wasn't the only one in the Hokage's office at this moment. Shikamaru was also there to help organize a plan to best handle the situation.

"According to those two, nothing was taken and no one was captured. Everyone who is supposed to be in the village is still here. No one was killed either. So what's their game? Any thoughts, Shikamaru?"

"They were awfully quick to leave. Which tells me a couple of things. Either they didn't find what they were looking for or they were outnumbered and knew they had to escape. However, I don't think either of those things are correct."

"Why's that?" she asked him.

"They're ninja, right?" Shikamaru looked into Tsunade's eyes. "Any good ninja knows how to infiltrate a specific location without drawing too much attention to themselves. They were deliberately making a ruckus. If they really wanted to steal something, they would have done so quieter. Either they're extremely clumsy or that isn't their true goal. And I don't think they fled because they were discovered. Not if they were intentionally causing commotion. Obviously, they knew they were going to be discovered. I think their goal was to get our attention. But for what purpose remains unclear."

"Hmm." Tsunade was trying to figure that out as well. "Could it be that they wanted us to follow them out of the village in a pursuit?"

"It's possible. In which case, it might have been a good thing for you to order everyone not to chase after them. They might have set traps outside of the village or have an ambush ready and waiting."

"Only six actually entered the village. It's a bold move for such a small amount of people... However, we don't know how many more of them there are. It is possible that they have a large number of people waiting for us in the woods. As soon as we follow, they jump out and attack."

"That's one possibility," said Shikamaru. "Another one comes to mind, though. What if the trap isn't in the woods but back here? They could be trying to start something that would prompt us to chase after them. Attacking the village isn't something we're going to take laying down. I think they intend for us to send out our strongest ninja to follow after them and stop them. If that happens, then the village will be vulnerable. Sending out a large number of strong Shinobi would leave the village at a disadvantage if there's another attack. If they think the weak remain in the village and the strong are out searching for them, they might attack the village, thinking they'll have a better shot."

"I was thinking the same thing just now." Tsunade sat back in her chair with a heavy sigh. "If we don't pursue, this will continue. We have to go after them and put a stop to this. They might also be casing the village, getting familiar with its layout. If we send a bunch of strong ninja out after them, it's as you say, we'll be at a disadvantage. We can't send out too many strong ninja. We need as many as we can to remain here to help protect the village if that is their goal. But we also can't send a bunch of weaker ninja to search for them. We don't know their exact numbers or their abilities. This may take some time to work out."

Tsunade turned to look at Naruto who had been strangely quiet this entire time. He looked deeply troubled, as if he had been told terrible news or had seen something horrific.

When she called his name, Naruto's body went rigid as he raised his head to look up at her stern expression.

"What happened when you chased after them?" she asked directly. "Those Jonin told me they saw you outside the gate, chasing those ninja down. What happened after that?"

Naruto said nothing in response.

"What happened?" Tsunade's eyes narrowed. She already knew. "What did you see?"

He had to confess what he saw. "I pulled the hood off a couple of those ninja... And at the gate, I... I... pulled the hood off..."

He saw Kakashi's face glaring back at him.

Naruto shivered at the image. "I saw... It was Kakashi-sensei."

Saying it made it reality.

It wasn't a dream or speculation. It was real. Kakashi was one of the men attacking the village.

Tsunade sighed again. "I thought as much." She rested her hands on the desk in front of her and gave another loud sigh. "I did some research. I had sent Kakashi out on a mission a few days ago. It was a relatively simple mission so I allowed him to go alone. He was due back yesterday morning. Well, the day before yesterday by now. He never returned. I assumed it was because he got held up or ran into trouble. I didn't think this at the time. Now it's been confirmed. This is why he didn't return when he was supposed to. He was with them."

Kakashi teaming up with this group to attack the Leaf Village seemed so unlikely. Impossible, actually. It was ridiculous to even suggest such an outrageous thing.

"That doesn't sound like him, though," said Shikamaru. "I don't see why he would. Even if he was blackmailed."

"I know. He's not really the type to be blackmailed so easily."

"Unless he teamed up with this group in order to infiltrate them and find out information. He would have to gain their trust and what better way to do it?" said Shikamaru.

"He should have sent us some sort of message if that were the case," said Tsunade. "And that wasn't the mission I sent him on."

"He could have stumbled upon them and formed a plan from there. We don't know. He might not have sent us a message for fear he would be found out."

"But he fought Sakura the other night. Alone. None of those people were with him and according to Sakura, he wasn't holding back."

"He might have been trying to make it as believable as possible. Which may have been why he didn't take that opportunity to tell her what was going on. He might have though the other people would get suspicious if we were to hold back in any way."

Tsunade shook her head. "No, I think you might be wrong on this one, Shikamaru."

Shikamaru's eyes widened. "Huh?" He couldn't help but take some offense to that comment.

"Kakashi kept his hood up during their fight. If he was trying to hide his identity, why would he use a jutsu he's famous for? It would be easily identified and everyone would know who he was. The hood is pointless if he uses that jutsu. Something else must be going on." Tsunade rested her elbows on the desk and supported her chin with both hands. "No. There's more to this than we're seeing. I doubt Kakashi would become a rouge ninja, but others will tell me that's emotional thinking. That I can't think logically or see the truth due to personal feelings and friendship. But I'm positive that Kakashi wouldn't betray the Leaf Village. Still, why would he do any of this? It doesn't make sense."

Naruto played the moment he saw Kakashi on that dirt road over and over again in his mind. He remembered that face so clearly, it was haunting. Seeing those glaring eyes and masked face made him sick.

Then he remembered. Kakashi had said something to him, but Naruto was in so much shock his mind didn't fully register what was being said. His ears took in the words but his mind didn't make sense of them at the time. Then he heard the words but didn't fully listen.

"Wait," Naruto said quickly to get their attention. "After I pulled off his hood, he said something to me."

"Who did? You mean Kakashi?"

He nodded.

"What did he say?"

"Did he tell you anything?"

Naruto remembered those words so clearly now. He knew what Kakashi had said.

"I called out to him and he turned back. He looked right at me and... and he said..." Naruto's heart started to beat fast. "He asked who I was."

Tsunade and Shikamaru stared back at him with stunned expressions.

"He said what to you?"

"He asked who I was. He wanted to know how I knew him. If we had ever met." This changed everything. "Kakashi-sensei didn't recognize me. Don't you see? He didn't know who I was. So... So maybe he didn't know who Sakura was either. Maybe he..."

It all started to make sense.

"Maybe Kakashi-sensei has amnesia, too! Just like Sai and Neji."

It was possible. Not only possible, but probable. Naruto was certain that was the only logical explanation. If Kakashi had no idea who he was, then that meant he must have had amnesia. That explained why he attacked the Leaf Village. He didn't know it was his home. He was just confused.

"No, Naruto," said Tsunade. "I doubt that very much."

"But why? It makes perfect sense!"

"Not if he knew his name and how to use jutsu. His jutsu. Sai and Neji didn't even know their own names, much less how to use jutsu. Kakashi clearly remembers how to be a ninja and those two don't. Therefore, Kakashi cannot have amnesia the same as them."

Naruto hadn't considered that.

It was true. Neji and Sai had no idea who they were, not even their own names. Kakashi, however, did.

"But the people he's with could have told him that he was one of them. Kakashi might have gotten amnesia and those guys got to him first and convinced him a whole bunch of stuff."

"How would they have known his name or his jutsu? I doubt they would have known or how to teach him such things, like the Lightning Blade."

Just when Naruto thought there was hope. Just when he thought there was a way to explain why Kakashi was behaving this way. Naruto thought this was a way out. A way to explain why Kakashi was attacking his home and his friends. The only explanation was that he didn't know.

"Although..." Tsunade went on with hope in her voice. "Those people could have had something to do with Kakashi's condition. It's possible that they placed some sort of Genjutsu on him. That could be why he's behaving this way."

Naruto's eyes lit up with hope. There was an explanation for Kakashi's actions after all. He knew Kakashi couldn't have betrayed them.

"There are a few types that come to mind," said Tsunade. "There is a jutsu that causes someone to see all their allies as enemies, but I doubt that's the one they used on him. He doesn't seem to be displaying certain signs. There are a couple others but they all have their flaws..." Tsunade turned to Naruto and Shikamaru. "If Kakashi is under enemy Genjutsu, then that makes him a hostage and needs to be rescued."

"Which means we'll have to pursue the enemy," said Shikamaru.

"Right. We'll need to be careful about it though." Tsunade sat back in her chair. "I'll get everything prepared. Come back in the morning after I've given this more thought. No one leaves the village before then. Is that understood?" She turned to Naruto. "Is it, Naruto?"

She already knew that Naruto was fixing to leave the village to search for Kakashi himself.

"Is Sai still in your care?"

Naruto's head snapped up, realizing that he couldn't leave the village. Not with Sai still at his apartment. His clone wouldn't last forever. Sai might try to go looking for him like he did before. Or worse: he might try to leave the village himself without anyone to stop him or talk him out of it.

He had no choice but to wait until morning. At least then they would have a plan.

* * *

The next morning, Naruto woke up before Sai and started to get ready for the day. Sai woke up and saw Naruto packing a bag and asked him if he was going somewhere. Knowing Sai would surely follow, Naruto told him he was going to speak with the Hokage but would be coming right back here. Sai wanted to come, too, so Naruto find a way to compromise.

"Here." Naruto led Sai back to the library and told him to wait there for him to return. This way, he had plenty to do and it wasn't a crowded place so Sai couldn't get too anxious. Sai agreed to remain at the library until Naruto came to fetch him. "I'll be right back."

Naruto went back to the Hokage's office and wasn't surprised to find Sakura and Shikamaru were there as well. Tsunade filled Sakura in on what they discussed last night and asked if she was willing to participate in the mission. Of course, she agreed. Tsunade welcomed her to the group but warned her not to get too emotional. Kakashi was her sensei as well.

"If Kakashi is under Genjutsu then he won't be holding back. You can't either. But having a medic on the team is very important. You also know Kakashi well. That can be a double-edged sword. It might cloud your judgment, but it might give you an advantage. You might be able to talk some sense into him and be a familiar face. It might help him return to his senses."

"Understood, Milady."

Tsunade looked down at a paper on her desk. "I had wanted to assign some other people I thought would be useful for such a mission, but they're both in no condition to fight."

Sakura knew who she was talking about but Naruto didn't.

"I wanted to put both Sai and Neji in the same squad but with them both out of commission, it will take me some time to find someone else to take their place and would also be able to contribute." Tsunade lowered the paper to her desk and brushed it aside. "Come back in a little while and I'll have everyone confirmed. Until then, you're on standby. I'll call you back when I have everything set."

Naruto wanted to leave already but Tsunade was still working on a complete squad to send out. They needed to have a certain skill set and unfortunately, the two she would have sent out had amnesia. He just had to suck it up until Tsunade made up her mind.

Naruto went back for Sai and the two of them went into the park to train some more. Sai was actually excited about it and couldn't wait to get to work. A few minutes later, Neji joined them.

All through the training session, Naruto couldn't get his mind off of Kakashi. He couldn't help but wonder where he was now and what he was doing. He wondered what had caused him to act this way and how they could break the Genjutsu if that was what caused him to change into their enemy. He hoped they would find him soon and put an end to this. All they had to do was break the Genjutsu and that would be that. It should only take a few minutes at most. Did they really need such a large squad?

Neji was quick to pick up that Naruto had a lot on his mind and confronted him about it. "Is everything alright?"

Naruto looked at Neji who had stopped training. "It's nothing."

"It's something. I can tell. I just can."

Naruto didn't see the harm in telling him. "It's someone I know. Someone very important. My sensei."

"Oh?"

"He... His name's Kakashi and he... We think he has amnesia like you guys. But instead of being found by friends, he was found by bad people who lied to him and told him that he was our enemy. Now he wants to fight us and we have to help him. So they're sending a team out to help get his memory back and tell him that he's not really our enemy."

"Are you leaving on this mission?"

Neji was as perceptive as ever. It seemed the amnesia hadn't done anything to effect that part of him.

"Yeah. This afternoon, I think." Now he had to figure out what to do with Sai. "Hey, Neji..? Do you think you could have Sai stay with you for a while and have Hinata take care of you both? He needs someone to look after him and with me being away for a while, I can't do it."

"I'll see what I can do."

"Great. Thanks, Neji."

Just as he said this, Sakura called him, saying that Tsunade had a team organized. Naruto left Sai in Neji's care and followed Sakura back to the office.

"Here's the team." Tsunade pointed to the additional members of the squad. "I'm assigning Kiba to this squad for his tracking skills. Since it's Kakashi we're looking for, it'll be relatively easy for him to recognize his scent and be able to track him down. Ino will also be coming along. If this is a mental manipulation type of jutsu, then her skills will also be useful. It would also be good to have an extra medic on the team. Shikamaru will be joining you as well. And so will Yamato. They will be co-leaders with a squad as large as this. Naruto and Sakura will be a part of this squad as well. So this is the team. Your assignment is to rescue Kakashi and defeat this group he's with."

"Just defeat?" asked Kiba. "Don't you mean capture or destroy?"

"No. And that's because I thought of something as I was putting this team together. Actually, the thought occurred to me last night but I thought more in depth about it today." She leaned forward, addressing the entire squad. "If Kakashi is under an enemy's jutsu, it's also possible that the people he's with are also under the same effects."

"In other words, these guys might also be hostages in need of saving," said Shikamaru grimly. "That complicates things a bit."

"He's right," said Ino. "These guys will be trying to kill us while we're trying to help save them. This might be harder than we thought."

"Don't worry. I've selected you all because you each have something to bring. Shikamaru and Ino, you've both worked together on your own squad so I believe you'll be in sync with each other more than anyone else by comparison. Your skills will also come in handy with such a mission. I'm positive you'll be able to handle this, but be on your guard just the same."

"Lady Tsunade," said Shikamaru, "we're not sure how many of them are under Genjutsu, if any. And if they are, we need to find out who their boss is because he's most likely the one who cast he jutsu in the first place."

"I realize this," she told him. "Their boss might be hiding among them or he could be hiding somewhere else. I doubt they're still hiding in the woods. They must have a safe house or a hideout of some sort. That is where Kiba comes in. You and Akamaru might be able to sniff it out. Chances are, if you find Kakashi, you'll find the rest of the group."

He nodded. "We'll do our best, Lady Tusnade. Don't worry about a thing."

Naruto could barely focus on the rest of the conversation. He couldn't wait to get out there and find Kakashi. He would drag him back kicking and screaming if he had to.

They were told to leave as soon as everyone was ready. This gave Naruto enough time to finish packing and head out with the squad. There was just one more thing he needed to bring.

While everyone else went to their homes to get ready, Naruto went to Kakashi's to get something. Kakashi's window was unlocked so Naruto was able to get inside with ease. He looked around the room for what he needed. There were several books scattered on bookshelves and tables. He wasn't looking to grab any of them. There was something else he had in mind. He went into Kakashi's bedroom and found it resting on his nightstand. Naruto picked it up and looked at it.

It was a picture of himself, Sakura, Sasuke and Kakashi. They got this picture taken when they first became an official squad. They each had one. Naruto knew Kakashi kept one as well and wanted to grab it. Not his own but Kakashi's. He figured Kakashi would be able to remember framing the photograph at least. He must have put some thought into it. Picking out a frame, where to put it. Surely it would ring a bell. It also had Kakashi's sent on it so Kiba might be able to use it. More than that, he hoped Kakashi would be able to remember them when he saw the photo. There was no denying that they knew each other. If Kakashi claimed it wasn't his, Naruto could take it out of the frame and dust it for prints, showing Kakashi that he once held this very photograph in his own hands.

Naruto tucked the frame to his chest and climbed back out the window.

When he arrived home, he was surprised to see Sai crouch on his bedroom floor. He thought for sure that Sai would be with Neji right now. Then he noticed that Sai was packing a bag. His bag.

"Sai, what are you doing?" Naruto thought he had convinced Sai not to run away but clearly he was wrong. "I told you to stay. You can't leave the village. This is your home. I know losing your memory is a big deal but it's not worth running away over."

He turned around. "I'm not running away."

Naruto was both relieved and confused by this. "Then what's the bag for? What are you doing?"

"I'm coming with you," he said simply.

"Eh?!"

Sai smiled at him innocently. "Yup. I'll be joining you on your mission."

"Sai, there's no way you can... You can't. I mean, you..."

"Neji's coming, too."

"He what?!"

He nodded. "Neji is the one who told me about your mission in the first place."

"He wasn't supposed to! Then again, I didn't tell him not to... But he shouldn't have done that because now you want to come along and you can't!"

"Why not? I'm a ninja, aren't I?"

"Yes, but you don't remember any of that. Any of your training or..."

"You showed us how to fight."

"Two days isn't enough to-"

"I'm going and so is Neji. And not just because you're going." Sai gave him a straight look. "I feel it's my duty. Especially after I heard that another friend of yours also has amnesia. He needs help. I feel I should help him as well. All three of us can get through it together."

Naruto wanted to protest but suddenly found that he couldn't. As dangerous as it would be, it might actually be a good idea to bring them along. Sai and Neji both seemed to pick up their training rather quickly. Perhaps they would make more progress by doing rather than being told. It made perfect sense now that Naruto thought about it. What better way for them to regain their memories than by experiencing a mission for themselves? If they managed to do well in training, Naruto could only imagine the progress they would make by going on an actual mission.

Sai even said that he felt a sense of duty. That might have been a sign that good things would happen if he went with them on this mission. It might even bring back his memories. Naruto couldn't pass up such a thing. If there was a chance that Sai and Neji could both regain their memories more quickly by going on this mission, then they should come along.

Naruto nodded and smiled at him. "Alright. If that's what you want to do, then let's do it."

Sai looked very happy.

"Need some help packing your bag?"

Sai shook his head. "It's the same bag I had with me when I first woke up. I haven't taken anything out of it, so I'm sure it's still packed with whatever I need." Sai wasn't sure what a mission entailed so he assumed his bag had everything he would need. "I was just putting a few extra things inside."

"Good. Then we're all set to go. Let me grab my bag and we'll meet everyone at the gate."

"Neji said he would be there, too."

"That will save us a trip. Once you're ready, Sai, we'll go."

They quickly left the apartment to meet everyone at the gate. Naruto was still a little nervous about letting Sai come along, but after hearing him talk about how driven he was to accompany them, Naruto felt confident that taking Sai and Neji with them was a good idea. If Sai wanted to, then it must have been a sign. A sign that something was coming back to him or that it would if he joined them. They had to come along on this mission. Naruto was certain of it.

They met Neji heading in the direction of the main gate and they decided to travel there together. Neji had a feeling that Naruto was going to be against them going on this mission and try to talk them out of it. When Neji expressed these concerns, he was pleasantly surprised to learn that Naruto was all for it. Pleased to hear that Naruto was being to supportive, Neji flashed a rare smile.

However, that all changed once they reached the gate.

Sakura and Yamato were standing by the gate waiting for them. Yamato explained that Shikamaru, Ino and Kiba had gone ahead to search for any traps the scouting team might have missed and would meet up with them in the woods.

As soon as they saw Sai and Neji with bags on their backs standing beside Naruto, they started to ask questions.

"They're coming with us," Naruto answered simply.

"Are you insane?!" Sakura screamed. "The hell they are!"

"But... But they both want to-"

"I don't care if they do! Naruto this is possibly the stupidest-"

"It's not like I talked them into it. They decided to come on their own! I had nothing to do with it!"

"Naruto, Lady Tsunade said that they're not allowed to go on any missions until they recover from this. Why would you think taking them out on a dangerous mission while they have no memory of being ninja would be a good idea?"

"It could help them recover faster, being out there seeing the stuff they normally see on missions."

"Or get them killed! This is-"

"Sakura, I'll handle this," said Yamato. "Naruto, this is not the mission for your little experiment. There is bound to be a battle. I don't think that is the best place for anyone in their condition. A smaller mission, perhaps... But not this one."

"But they want to come. They're ready to leave with us. Both of them."

"They don't remember being ninja, Naruto... How are they expected to know how to fight should the occasion arise?"

"They've been training. Both of them. The past couple of days."

"Two days isn't enough to make up for years and years of training and missions."

"But it's still in them. They were doing really well so I'm sure they still know how and just need help remembering. Going on a mission might spark something in them or even bring back all their memories."

"It might not."

"But it might! And wouldn't it be better to have them recovered sooner rather than later?"

Yamato didn't look convinced.

"Please?"

"Asking nicely won't be enough to persuade me to let them come on such a mission. Two days worth of training isn't going to be enough to help them stand on their own if there's a fight."

Naruto tried to reason with him another way. "We've had missions where we have to fight strong ninja while protecting people at the same time. Like on escort missions and things. Can't we treat this the same way? It's not like it's something we've never done before."

Yamato seemed to be taking this into consideration. "Well... Granted, those missions are tougher to do but not impossible... And without their memories, they're no different from a regular civilian's level..."

Neji decided to enter into the conversation as well. "Even if you say no and send us back to our homes, we're still going to follow you out of the gate once you do leave. So you can either leave with us or have us follow after you once you've gone. The only difference is that if we all leave together, you'll be able to watch over us. If we were to follow you, it would mean us having to travel alone in an unfamiliar place which means it's much more likely for us to get lost. If that happens, then you'll have to come find us... Be it during this mission or when you return from it. Either way, it can easily be avoided by you letting us come along willingly."

Naruto and everyone else stared at him, impressed with his genius. Losing his memory had not dulled his intellect in the slightest. Neji was using excellent reasoning skills to persuade Yamato into letting him and Sai join them on the mission.

Yamato was about to point out the fact that they could simply tie them to a tree or place them in the care of someone who would make sure they did not leave the village. If worse came to worst, they could be locked in a cell in order to keep them in the village. He was about to mention this when he realized bringing them might actually be a good idea and not just for the reasons Naruto explained.

"Hmm..." Yamato was thinking. "Hmm... Hm. It just occurred to me that Kakashi could be under some sort of jutsu. Possibly cast by someone with mental manipulation capabilities... If that's the case... then it's possible that Neji and Sai's amnesia was brought on by the effect of some kind of jutsu."

"A jutsu?" Naruto was certain that Kakashi was in the same boat as Neji and Sai but everyone kept pointing out the flaws with that theory. It seemed Yamato was on his side. However, Naruto didn't think it was a jutsu that had caused them to lose their memories.

"But Lady Tsunade checked them for signs or trauma and jutsu," said Sakura. "She found none. She said if this was Genjutsu, she would have been able to break it using the removal techniques she performed back at her office when they first arrived."

"Then perhaps it isn't Genjutsu. We don't know," said Yamato. "However, if it is a type of jutsu, then it needs to be broken in order for them to return to normal. In other words, we'll have to find the caster of the jutsu. And it is possible that the person who did it must have Sai and Neji present in order to remove it. Therefore, it would be wise for the both of them to come along just in case. Otherwise, we would have to run all the way back to the village, grab them, bring them all the way back and have it get removed; possibly while being attacked by the enemy. We also have no idea who the caster is or what conditions must be met in order for the jutsu to be removed. So, as much as I hate to admit it, it might be for the best if these two come along. Just in case."

Naruto clenched his fists in celebration and cheered.

"Are you sure, Captain Yamato?" Sakura was still worried about them.

"It's as Naruto said. We would have to help protect them while on this mission. I'm not saying it would be easy, but on the off chance joining us on the mission could help them..."

"Thanks, Captain Yamato! Thank you!"

"However..." Yamato looked at Naruto. "Naruto... if you insist on them coming along, then they are your responsibility."

Naruto agreed automatically. Anything to allow these two to come with them on the mission.

"Right." Yamato turned to the two ninja standing beside Naruto. "Ok, you two. So you both want to join us on this mission, is that correct?"

"Yes, sir," Neji spoke for the two of them.

"Alright. You do realize that this will be dangerous and there will most likely be a battle. Are you prepared for that?"

"We were attacked in this village we were told was safe," Neji reasoned. "I don't see how traveling out there will be any different."

Yamato knew what he meant. Neji had already been forced to see battle when he wasn't prepared. Thrust into the fray, he had to fight in order to defend himself. He had no choice. Leaving the village just about ensured there would be another battle, only this time they were expecting it. As far as Neji was concerned, whether he stayed in the village or not, he would have to see battle at some point. The enemy could sneak in again and attack.

"Ok,"said Yamato. "But you do realize that while we're out here, we have a job to do. This is no walk in the park. I understand that you believe that you could also be attacked by the enemy while safely in the village, and that's fine. I understand your concern and your logic. Out here or in there, you could be in danger. But out here is a little different. We have to travel and battle and fend for ourselves. Are you prepared to handle something like that?"

"I already know that it will not be easy," admitted Neji. "In fact, I'm certain it won't be. And I know that there are still many things I don't know or understand. But I still feel strongly about this. I want to go. I feel that I have to."

Yamato nodded. It seemed Naruto was right about Neji unconsciously knowing what he must do as a ninja. This was indeed a sign that Neji could recover from this. Deep down inside, he already knew who he was. He just had to remember. Perhaps going on a mission was a good idea. Yamato wished it was a simpler mission, but this worked out different than he would have liked.

"As long as you both understand what you're getting into... If you have any questions, feel free to ask. But there is one thing I want to make clear to you." Yamato looked at both Neji and Sai. "When I tell you to do something, you do it. If I tell you to run, you run. If I tell you to hide, you hide. If I say go left, what do you do?"

"Go left," they answered.

"Good. These enemies will be strong. I don't want either of you getting hurt. They will also be tricky." Yamato looked them both in the eye to make sure they understood. Satisfied, he nodded once more and turned toward the gate. "Alright. If everyone is all set, we'll go."

* * *

Please review! ^-^


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7:**

When they entered the woods to meet up with the rest of the group, Neji and Sai both seemed excited about being on this mission. Excited in a good and bad way. They were nervous and thrilled at the same time. When they met up with the rest of the group, they both looked startled. Not because they were around people they couldn't remember very well, but because of the argument that ensued as soon as they found out that Neji and Sai were coming along on the mission.

"Are you insane?!"

"That's what I told him!"

"You can't be serious! Those two on a mission? And of all missions, this one?!"

"Who are you trying to fool?!"

Naruto cringed and Yamato took over to explain what was going to happen. He told Kiba, Ino and Shikamaru that he approved of them being on the mission and went over what they discussed before leaving. Now that everyone was on the same page, they stopped quarreling, but still looked troubled by this decision.

"Sai and Neji are Naruto's responsibility," Yamato told them. "They wanted to come along, but Naruto encouraged them and approved of them coming along."

"I didn't encourage them!"

"He argued to convince me to let them come along. So he bears some responsibility."

Shikamaru frowned. "I still don't think it's such a good idea."

"I agree," said Ino. "What if something happens? I mean, normally, I wouldn't worry about either of them because they're so strong and capable... But like this..."

"Which is why we'll all have to do our part to look after them as well." Yamato wasn't backing down. He had his own reasons for keeping them around for this mission. "Kiba, have you had any luck tracking Kakashi's scent?"

"Yeah," he answered. "Akamaru picked up his scent heading this way. And judging from these tracks, he had a bunch of people with him. They're all on foot and traveling on the ground."

"So they're not using the trees." Yamato looked up. "Could it be because they can't? Could there be traps above us in the branches? Or did they just not want to travel that way?"

"Or they want us to follow them," said Shikamaru.

"Their tracks lead away from where we are now and disappear," Kiba continued. "I think they started using the branches then. Their scent heads in this direction. Should we follow?"

Yamato nodded. "Stay on the ground for now." He looked back at Neji and Sai, knowing they would not be able to travel in the trees the way they used to. They could no longer remember how. "Let's head in that direction for a bit. I'll tell you when to stop and we'll make a plan from there."

They followed Kiba and Akamaru deeper into the woods for several miles.

Everyone was aware of the plan and their mission, but most of them were deeply troubled. Not by the level of difficulty, but by the fact that they would be facing Kakashi. No one was certain of the details pertaining to why he was doing this. No one was certain. Everyone had a theory, but they were only theories. What they needed were answers.

Naruto and Sakura were the most troubled by this. The questions wouldn't leave their minds. Why was he doing this? Was he under some sort of jutsu? Did he betray them? Had he gone rouge? Was he undercover? Did he have amnesia as Naruto theorized? Was he being blackmailed? Had he been threatened? Why? Why?

"Stop!" Kiba shouted and everyone halted.

"What's wrong?"

Kiba was watching Akamaru closely. His dog was on edge. He could sense something. Kiba was uneasy as well, but he didn't have all of Akamaru's keen senses so he had to rely on him for more information. Akamaru turned to his partner and whined.

Everyone stood by, waiting for answers.

Finally, Kiba turned to the rest of the group. "He's sensing something. I think we're close to wherever they're hiding."

"Then we could be by their hideout," said Sakura. "We need a plan of action. How are we going to work this?"

"If we stumble upon their hideout, we could take them by surprise. If they're there. They might not be and we might be heading into a trap. We don't know their numbers either." Yamato had to think of a plan that would keep Neji and Sai safe while also being able to carry out the mission given to them. "Alright, let's stop here and get a plan together."

Everyone gathered around.

Sai and Neji looked at each other with similar feelings. This was a bit exciting. Being on a ninja mission was pretty cool and they both wanted to contribute. They were also a little scared and unsure of what to do. Nevertheless, they huddled up with the rest of the ninja and listened in on the plan.

"As Tsunade pointed out," said Yamato, "Kakashi might be under some kind of Genjutsu. Which means the caster could be among those he's traveling with. However, he may not be. We're also unaware if any or all of those ninja are also under the same jutsu. We must be careful. This makes fighting them a lot harder."

"So how are we supposed to fight them?"

"I think the best way is to-"

Akamaru gave a sharp bark, gaining everyone's attention. He was looking above them, into the tree branches.

The group sprang apart and looked up. They were surrounded by the enemy.

"Well, well, looks like a bunch of Leaf ninja. How's about that?"

"A bunch of young ones, too. I thought they would have sent some tough adults out for a mission like this. The Leaf must be desperate."

"A bunch of snot-nosed little brats. How insulting."

Shikamaru looked into the branches, counting. "Six," he said. That was the exact number of ninja seen leaving the village after the attacks.

Without their hoods, their faces were much clearer. A couple of tan-skinned ninja, one with his hair in short, tight braids, a pale one in light clothing, a man in green and brown clothing and a man with dark brown hair and dark blue clothing.

Among them was a familiar face. A face covered with a mask.

Naruto and Sakura stared at the masked face of their sensei with pleading eyes. It couldn't be possible that he was with the enemy. He would never hurt them. He always said that he would protect them with his life.

Kakashi was looking at the rest of the group from the branch he was sitting on. "So, who wants what?" he asked in a snide tone. "You want the mutt?"

"Ah, don't give me the dog, man. Why don't you take on the girls? They should be easy enough for you to handle."

"Come on, don't give me the weaklings."

Another ninja spoke up from a different branch. "Let's not quarrel over such things. Let's just take them out."

"Good thinking."

"I'm for that."

"Just pick whichever ones you want. It'll be a free-for-all."

Shikamaru started to stretch his shadow silently into the trees to snare the ninja above. While they were busy chatting about the upcoming battle, he would stop them before anything happened. So far, none of them had noticed.

"Enough of this. I'm heading in!" A ninja jumped down before the shadow could latch onto his and landed on the ground. "Are we going to talk or are we going to fight?"

"Look at that fool," laughed one of the men in the tree. "Dive right in and see what happens."

"At least I'm doing something other than running my mouth." The ninja set his sights on Ino and drew a long blade from his belt. "This one looks easy."

"In a couple of ways, am I right?" another ninja laughed from above.

Kakashi joined him in a cruel chuckle. The other ninja laughed as well.

Naruto frowned, seeing Kakashi laugh so cruelly. This wasn't like him at all.

Suddenly the ninja's weapon stopped mid-swing. His whole body was frozen. "What the hell?"

"Ino, get back!" Shikamaru warned. He had his shadow keeping the man at bay but it wouldn't last for long. The rest of his shadow was heading for the others at that very moment. He needed to hold this one still and snare the others at the same time.

"I see..." said the ninja beside Kakashi. He looked at the trunk of the tree and saw the shadow stretching right for his. "Seems this kid has a few tricks up his sleeve. Not a problem."

With a flick of his wrist, he sent several shuriken from his sleeve towards Shikamaru while his back was turned.

"Shikamaru!"

Yamato quickly blocked with an arm of wood just in time. The weapons sank into the wood and Shikamaru was spared.

"A wood-style?" said one of the ninja. "Impressive."

"Not impressive enough," said Kakashi. "To save that brat, he's left himself wide open for another attack. What an utter fool."

Naruto couldn't believe it. It was impossible. It was all wrong.

This wasn't the man he once knew. This couldn't have been him.

Kakashi's normal sleepy eyes had been replaced by sharp ones full of malice. He did not look like the Kakashi they knew. He wasn't the same. Even his tone had changed. When he spoke to them, he did so in a mocking manner. He was a completely different person.

In fact, he was so different, Naruto was almost convinced that this couldn't have been the real Kakashi. It must have been an imposter, no matter how many times he was told it was the real person he once called sensei. It couldn't have been. His sensei might have teased them from time to time but he was never cruel in doing so. It was either to have a little fun or to teach them a lesson and not in a mean way. He wanted them to learn something and get better. What he was doing now wasn't the same.

Kakashi jumped from the tree and landed somewhere out of sight.

"My turn." Another ninja took aim at Shikamaru from a different angle and threw a kunai at his neck.

Yamato stretched out the wooden arm to catch it.

At the same time, something came out of the ground under his feet. A pair of hands reached out and grabbed Yamato's ankles and pulled him underground.

"Captain Yamato!" Sakura cried out.

"Ahh!" Shiakamaru yelped as the kunai sank into his shoulder. He managed to move just far enough so it wouldn't hit him in the neck but he wasn't able to avoid it completely.

"Nice!" One of the ninja from above jumped down and went straight for Shikamaru.

It was everything Shikamaru could do the maintain the jutsu on the man he had already caught. The pain in his shoulder had caused him to lose control of the shadows creeping up the trees but he managed to maintain his control over this one.

Kiba and Akamaru both moved in to protect him. "No way you're getting past us!"

"I beg to differ!" A second ninja had shown up behind Kiba and Akamaru. Akamaru quickly turned to protect Kiba's back and bit the man's arm. Instead of yelling in pain, the man smirked. "Simple-minded dogs are too easy."

The man raised a knife and stabbed Kiba's beloved partner, seemingly in the throat. Akamaru yelped, releasing his hold on the attacker.

"Akamaru!" Kiba spun around to check on his companion. At that same moment, the man he had been facing kicked him in the stomach and sent him backwards.

"What else you got?"

Sakura couldn't stay standing stunned forever. She had to do something to help. She started to move in, but she was already caught in a trap. The ground under her feet split open and Kakashi appeared behind her. He wrapped his arm around her neck and the other one across her chest.

Kakashi laughed cruelly and pressed his forearm into her neck, cutting off the air to her lungs. She tried to reach up to grab his arm, but the other one wrapped across her chest kept her arms from reaching.

"What a weak little girl you are," Kakashi hissed in her ear. "Pathetic."

Naruto's body wouldn't move. Seeing Kakashi like this was so unreal. None of it made any sense. It was like a bad dream. Though he saw Sakura was in danger, he couldn't bring himself to move. Everything in him was frozen.

Fight. Fight. Fight!

He had to fight. Gaining the feeling back in his legs, Naruto moved in to protect his friends. He grabbed Kakashi from behind and pulled a fistful of his hair.

"Ow!" Kakashi jerked his head back and forth and staggered about. It was hard to keep balance with someone on his back like this. Sakura was able to free one of her arms and punched Kakashi in the jaw. Naruto was able to yank Kakashi off her completely and they fell backwards, Kakashi landing on top of him.

The man in the tree saw Kakashi go down and decided to help. "Fire Style, Flame Shuriken!"

Kakashi rolled out of the way and left Naruto on the ground to burn. Naruto was engulfed in flame but instead of being charred, he vanished in a puff of smoke. It had been a clone.

"Where'd he go?" Kakashi looked around and saw Sakura standing in front of him. She wasn't attacking. Kakashi didn't understand why she hesitated, but she was an enemy so he had to strike if he had the chance. "Fire Style, Fireball Jutsu!"

Sakura threw up her hands to protect herself. She was able to avoid most of it but her right arm got badly burnt by the jutsu. She cried out in pain and fell to one knee, holding her seared flesh.

Rather than show any concern, Kakashi smirked and moved in to finish her off. He drew a kunai and ran forward. Sakura turned her attention away from her wound and saw Kakashi coming right for her. She was unable to move, just as Naruto had been. She just sat there and watched him come closer with every intention of killing her.

Just then, someone tackled him from the side and they both went tumbling into the brush. Kakashi rolled to his feet and stood up. Naruto pushed himself up and stood in front of him.

"You again," Kakashi said in an annoyed tone.

Naruto panted but said nothing.

Kakashi held his weapon in front of his chest. He expected a fight.

Naruto wouldn't give it to him. "Kakashi-sensei."

Kakashi blinked and looked at him with eyes Naruto wasn't used to.

His weapon didn't move and he didn't speak. They only stared at each other.

At the same time, the ninja battle was nearing a sudden end. "Fall back!" Yelled one of the men.

"We've done enough damage, it seems. Later!"

The ninja all started to flee, including the one freed from Shikamaru's jutsu. No one bothered to follow them.

Kakashi opened his mouth to speak, then noticed that his team was in retreat. He gave Naruto a warning look and followed them into the woods.

Naruto did not follow. He didn't know what to do.

He turned back to check on the group. "Is everyone ok?"

Shikamaru was being patched up by Ino and Sakura endured her painful burns until she was finished checking on Kiba and Akamaru. Yamato dug his way out of the earth to join the rest of the team.

"Is everyone alright?" he asked them. "Where are Neji and Sai?"

Naruto's heart started racing. He had completely forgotten about them the second Kakashi showed up. "Neji! Sai! Where are you?"

"Over here."

Naruto turned and saw them both unharmed, hiding behind a tree. They were shaken up by the fight they had just witnessed but neither of them begged to go home.

"Akamaru's going to be fine," said Sakura. "It's a shoulder wound. Not his neck. He's going to be ok."

Kiba breathed a sigh of relief and stroked his partner's fur. "You had me worried, boy. Thanks for having my back, though. You did great."

Sakura then turned her attention to her own injuries. She started to treat her burns with her medical jutsu. As soon as she started treatment, she winced and whimpered. She pushed on to treat her injury, tears rolling down her face. She was crying, but not just from the wound. It was from knowing who caused it.

Kakashi had intentionally burned her. The person who swore to protect her. Her own sensei had burned her.

Why? Why?

Naruto watched Sakura cry as she treated her wound. He clenched his fists and turned his head in the direction Kakashi had left. Then he turned back to look at his friends. For a while, none of them spoke.

The battle only lasted a couple of minutes, but it had left a lot of damage. Inside and out.

Now everyone was wondering what they should do. They were all wondering about Kakashi.

Why? Why?

Naruto grit his teeth and looked at the ground.

Why?

* * *

Far away, in the middle of nowhere, there was an underground building full of different rooms and passages. Parts of this labyrinth were so well furnished and maintained that it didn't look like it was underground at all, while other areas made it obvious. The training room was one of them. It looked like a large cave with a high ceiling. However, other rooms had wooden walls and floors, such as the kitchen and the bedrooms.

Kakashi passed all these rooms on his way to a specific location with the rest of the group. They were meeting a man named Seigi at the end of this long hallway.

When they arrived, they all knelt on the ground in deep bows before his throne.

"So you've returned," came Seigi's voice. "How was it?"

"They sent some young ones for this mission," said one of the ninja. "I counted eight in total. Nine if you want to count the ninja mutt they have with them. Only six took part in the actual fight. The other two ran off and hid. I'm not sure what role they play in this mission. They didn't seem to know what they were doing so they could be easy targets."

"Agreed."

Another ninja lifted his head slightly to look at Seigi. "Your prediction was correct as always, Master Seigi. Just as you thought, they sent ninja out to find us. We've already tested their skills and seen much of their jutsu. Do we have permission to pick them off now, Master Seigi?"

"Not just yet, Yari. But soon I will give the order. I want to see what else they have to offer. Once we know more about their skills, it'll be easy to take them down. Then the Leaf will send more our way. That is how we will defeat the Leaf. Once this group is gotten rid of, they'll send more to avenge them or to investigate what happened. Then we'll take that group out and the next one that follows. Soon, the Leaf will have a shortage of ninja and that's good news for us. We'll be able to defeat them with ease."

Another ninja smirked. "How brilliant, Master Seigi. Taking on an entire village with our few numbers is a massive task and a bit foolish. But taking them down in smaller groups will cripple the Leaf. You are so wise."

"Yes, I know." Seigi waved his hand in the air. "You are all dismissed for now. Prepare to leave for the next attack when I summon you."

"Yes, Master!" the group said at once and bowed their heads low once more before leaving the room.

The group went out into the hallway, chatting excitedly about the battle ahead and the one they just finished.

"This group will be easy to defeat. We're just sizing them up right now. Wait until they get a load of our true power."

"You sure talk big, Yari, but wait until the battle actually begins. You'll have to keep up with me."

"Look who's all high and mighty. Yo, did you guys hear what Hebi just said? He's nothing but a lot of talk."

"So are you, Yari."

"I know I'm better than you. You and Supaisu, Suzume and Kakashi. Get ready to eat my dust."

"I say we make a bet. Whoever takes down the most Leaf ninja wins."

"What about whoever takes them down faster? I think that's much better."

"I agree. Plus, the faster you take them down, the more ninja you'll be able to battle."

"If you can call it a battle. These guys are jokes."

"Then it will be easy. Maybe we'll get a challenge with the next group they send."

"I sure hope so."

Kakashi hung back from the rest of the group, his eyes on the floor. One of the ninja saw this and slowed his pace so he could speak with him.

"Doing ok, Kakashi?"

He glanced up. "Fine."

"Oh? Because you're looking kind of troubled."

"Prying into my personal life again, are we, Shizuka?"

He shrugged. "Like you have a life outside of our circle."

Kakashi glared at him.

"Touchy." Shizuka leaned closer. "Come on. I know you're upset about something. What is it?"

Kakashi sighed. "It's that boy. The one with blond hair. I saw him that night we left the village and again today with that group."

"So what?"

Kakashi lowered his voice. "He knew my name."

Shizuka frowned. "What?"

"He called me by it as we were leaving the village." Kakashi sighed. "I've never met him before so how could he have known my name?"

"Maybe someone slipped and called out to you as we were leaving the village. I bet it was Yari. Guy can't keep his mouth shut."

"Maybe. But the weird thing is how he called my name. He called me Kakashi-sensei."

Shizuka burst out laughing. "You? Really? Ha! Oh, that's rich. You, a sensei? You couldn't even teach a dog to bark."

Kakashi kicked him. "Calling me an idiot?"

"I ain't calling you sensei, that's for sure."

Kakashi lowered his head and looked away.

Shizuka observed his troubled expression and grew serious. "Maybe the kid mistook you for someone else."

"How many people look like me and have the same name? Coincidence has to end somewhere."

"Perhaps. I'm just trying to figure out why he would call you that." Shizuka lowered his voice. "Why didn't you tell the boss?"

"I don't want anyone to know."

"I'll respect that. This is just between us friends," Shizuka told him. "Try to put it out of your mind if you can."

"I'd like to know why he called me that."

"If you want my opinion, I think it's because one of us called out to you the other night and the kid heard us. We're supposed to keep our identities hidden for the most part, but someone was bound to slip. And that brat probably added the 'sensei' part because he's a kid. He probably calls all adults by that title."

"I guess that makes sense."

Shizuka smiled. "Better, Kakashi-crybaby?"

Kakashi kicked him in the shin.

"You know I was just teasing!"

Kakashi couldn't help but chuckle a little.

Shizuka limped after him. "So, what are you getting for lunch? I'm starved."

* * *

Please review! ^-^


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8:**

"I don't get it," said Ino. "Why did they run away like that? They were winning. Seems weird for them to just take off like that. I would barely call it a fight."

"That's because it wasn't," said Yamato. "I think their intention wasn't to stop us but to size us up. They were testing us and our strength. I think they were here to see what we could do and learn more about us before engaging in an actual fight. They wanted to see what we were capable of. See our jutsu."

"And we gave them a peek," said Shikamaru. "Now they know what to watch out for. They know what to expect."

"Don't worry," said Yamato. "They only saw two of our jutsu. We still have an advantage in that respect."

Shikamaru sighed, holding his injured shoulder. "I screwed up. I tried to get them all with my jutsu but some of them caught on and saw what I was doing."

"Why didn't you do it faster?" asked Naruto. "Why didn't you just grab them all in the beginning as soon as you saw them?"

"I had to work my shadows their way without being noticed. If I moved too quickly, they all would have seen it and ran. Most of them didn't notice and I was close to grabbing them all. Then that kunai hit my shoulder and I lost part of my concentration. At least I managed to keep hold of the guy in front of me."

"Our mission is to bring Kakashi-sensei back home!" shouted Naruto. "If you had grabbed him with your shadow-"

"I already explained, Naruto."

"But you-"

"Naruto!" Yamato gave him a warning look. "I know you're upset and I understand that. I know. But you know how tough Kakashi can be. Even if Shikamaru's jutsu was successful, Kakashi wouldn't have been restrained for long. He would have been able to break out of it. We also don't know how many more of them are hiding in the woods. So far we've only seen six. There could be more. Their exact numbers are unknown."

"Yeah, but-"

"We all want to rescue Kakashi, but we have to be smart about this. We can't underestimate him. Whether or not he knows who we are, he's still a formidable ninja. To make matters worse, if he truly doesn't know who we are, he's not going to hold back."

"I know he's tough, but-"

"Naruto and Sakura." Yamato looked at the two of them. "I saw the both of you hesitate when he came your way. I understand that it's difficult. I know how you must feel. But you can't freeze up like that. Kakashi isn't going to hold back. You might know him, but if he doesn't know you then he has no reason to show mercy. You can't give him an opening. You can't hope that he'll come to his senses and stop himself before he inflicts damage. He will kill you."

Those words chilled Naruto down to the bone. Knowing that Kakashi would kill them was a hard thing to grasp. It was something he couldn't accept. The very idea of it made Naruto shiver. He couldn't believe it to be true, but a part of him knew and it scared him.

They would have to fight their own sensei. Otherwise, their sensei would kill them.

Their sensei.

Kakashi.

Naruto shut his eyes tight.

"Now..." Yamato looked to two other ninja sitting among the group. "Sai, Neji."

"Yes?"

"Now that you've seen what we're up against, this is your last chance to turn back and return to the village. You've just got a taste of what to expect and it's only going to get worse."

Neji looked down. "I'm sure it will be. I knew all along that it would be difficult. But..." He raised his head. "I'm not backing down. I will stay here with you guys. I have to."

Yamato looked at the ninja beside him. "Sai?"

He looked around at the group assembled around him. All faces he recognized but didn't fully know. People he was told were his friends. If he returned to the village, he might be safer but he would be alone. He wanted to be with his friends, even if it meant being on a dangerous mission.

"I want to stay," said Sai. "I feel the same way. Something inside is telling me that I belong here. That I have to do this mission... no matter how scary..."

Yamato nodded. "If you're certain. As for the rest of you, let's work out a plan."

"We tried that before and look what happened," said Kiba. "If Akamaru hadn't alerted us, we wouldn't have spotted those guys hiding in the trees."

"That kind of begs the question, though," said Shikamaru. "They might have been trying to listen in on our plan at the time. However, now I'm wondering if Akamaru noticed them, or if they wanted to be noticed."

"You think they wanted us to find them?"

"Kakashi is a capable ninja. I doubt he would have been so easily found if he wanted to keep out of sight. I'm thinking maybe they wanted us to find them. That way we would have to fight and show off what we could do."

"Very possible," said Yamato.

"I'm also thinking of something else." Shikamaru looked troubled. "Back at the village, we established that the enemy might have a couple different ideas. They could be luring us into a trap, wanting us to follow. They could be wanting us to send our strongest out of the village so it will be vulnerable, thinking we've left only the weak behind. But there's something else. Another thing they could be trying to do is pick us off one by one."

"What do you mean?" asked Ino.

"I mean, they knew we were bound to send people out to find them. So they were expecting us to be out here. So I'm thinking, they might be intending to take on small groups of ninja who were sent to pursue them. Then when that group doesn't come back, the village sends more ninja out to investigate. Then the enemy takes out that group and the next one that follows. They know they can't take on a whole village by themselves. So I think they plan on taking the village down in smaller groups that are sent out here to locate them. A kind of divide and concur strategy."

Yamato nodded. "I think you may be on to something. That is very possible."

"Also, they were quick to flee," Shikamaru went on. "I think their boss isn't among them. I think they left to report to him whoever he is. If they have to report to someone then that means that there are more people to look out for. It also means that they have a base somewhere out here. We might be injured, but I think we should go looking for that base right now. Depending on how long it takes for them to report to their leader, we might have a chance to catch up to them before they come back ready for a fight. They might also have to wait for their boss to give the order for them to attack."

Yamato nodded again. "Good point. We should find where they're hiding as soon a possible." He looked at Sai and Neji. "Unfortunately, two people who would normally be great for this are out of commission. Neji's Byakugan would have been great at locating them. But you don't remember how to do that, do you, Neji?"

He shook his head. "Hinata showed me what it was... but..." He looked down. "I don't know how to use it myself. I haven't been able to yet."

"And Sai would be able to use his Beast Mimicry but it looks like he's been unable to remember how to use that as well."

Sai looked at his knees, confirming Yamato's suspicions.

"Which means we'll have to relay on Kiba and Akamaru for the tracking. Are you both up for it?"

Kiba nodded. "Ready when you are."

Akamaru barked, feeling ready for action.

* * *

They moved slowly into the woods, again with Kiba and Akamaru at the lead. No one spoke as they traveled. Naruto and Sakura kept their heads down, dwelling on the fate of their sensei. Most of all, they were worried about the upcoming battle against Kakashi. Neither of them wanted to fight him. Not if he intended to kill them and certainly not if he was only fighting them because he was under an enemy's control. Fighting Kakashi like this just felt wrong. They didn't want to face him like this.

Sakura looked at her brunt arm and grimaced, but not from the pain.

Naruto saw her expression and looked at her wound. The fact that Kakashi had intentionally hurt her...

That he had done such a thing...

Naruto turned away, gritting his teeth.

What distracted him was Sai looking at his surroundings with curious eyes. Naruto walked closer to him and smiled. "Doing ok, Sai?"

He nodded. "I like it out here. It's peaceful."

Naruto looked and saw Neji was further ahead of them and went over to ask how he felt about the mission so far.

"Actually," said Neji, "I'm finding it strangely nostalgic out here."

"Nostalgic?" Naruto repeated. "You mean you find it familiar in some way?"

Neji shrugged. "I'm not sure about that. But in a way, yes. It's hard to explain. Perhaps I just feel this way because this is my first memory."

"First memory?"

He nodded. "When I woke up, I found myself in the woods with you and Shikamaru and Sai. Maybe that's why I feel this way. Maybe that's the reason." He smiled. "Or maybe not. Maybe it's more than that."

Maybe this familiar feeling was from him remembering being on missions in the past. Maybe this feeling was from another feeling. Or of a feeling.

Sai wasn't feeling nervous or frightened like he was before. Maybe it was due to the fact that there was no fight going on at the moment. Or maybe it was because he was surrounded by friends. He walked closer to Naruto and Neji, feeling safe with them.

The group stopped to take a break for Sai and Neji. They ate from their rations and chatted for a bit. Neji and Sai both asked questions about what ninja did while on missions like this and wanted to know if there was anything they could do to help. Yamato didn't want them to get too involved because their fighting skills weren't what they were before. He told them to do as they were told and to keep out of danger as much as possible.

They both agreed, but Neji didn't want to hide in the corner while everyone else fought. He wanted to participate, too.

While everyone else worked out a plan of action, Neji and Sai went a little further away to talk. As the only two among the group with amnesia, they felt like they could relate better to each other than anyone else. They wanted to compare notes on their experiences and opinions.

"What do you think?" asked Sai.

"About the mission or the people we're with?"

"Both."

Neji shrugged. "I still don't remember any of them. But they're good people and they're pretty nice. Some of them are weird, but they seem to be trying to help us. It was nice of them to let us come along at our request."

"Are you sure doing this isn't dangerous? I think maybe we made a mistake in coming."

"You regret it?"

"Not exactly. I wanted to come and I still want to. But I'm just worried about the danger. I don't know what I'm doing." Sai sat on the ground with his knees tucked to his chest. "I have so many conflicting feelings. Part of me thinks we jumped into this too quickly and shouldn't be on a mission this intense. Then another part is telling me that I was right to do this. That I should be on this mission. I don't know why I feel that way. Maybe I just want to stay with the people who are supposed to be my friends."

"I have doubts, too. But they're not very strong. I'm pretty confident that I made the right call in going. I'm not sure why." Neji looked off into the distance. "Maybe it's because it's who I'm meant to be. Who I was before. Maybe it's natural. Or maybe it's for another reason entirely. I'm not sure. I'm not sure about a lot of things."

"You, too?" Sai looked up.

"Yeah." Neji looked at the moss growing on the side of the tree beside him. "I do feel unsure. Unsure if what I'm doing is right or if it was what I did because of what I'm supposed to do. For all I know, I'm doing the things the other Neji wouldn't. I have no way of knowing since I can't remember who I was before. It's difficult. Not knowing... Going around without knowing who you're truly meant to be or who you were before."

"Yeah..." Sai rested his chin on his raised knees. "I was shown my room but none of it seemed familiar to me. If it's my room, shouldn't it feel like home to me? Wouldn't I be able to know it when I saw it? Even my own name. They say that it's Sai but is it really? I have no reason to doubt them... but at the same time I have no reason to believe them. I don't know any better. I don't know anyone or anything. They tell me all this stuff so I assume it must be true. But I don't know. For all I know, they're all lying to us."

Neji shook his head. "I think they're telling the truth about who we are. There's evidence all around us. And they're being very nice to us and not being too pushy."

Sai looked at Neji. "Naruto says that the person he's looking for is like us. But he was found by bad people who told him that he wasn't Naruto's friend. Do you think that could have happened to us? Could we have been found by bad people who convinced us that we were different?"

"It could have happened. But I'm glad it didn't. These people are our friends. I like them. I trust them."

Sai looked down again. "I like Naruto... but..."

"But what?"

"But I'm not sure if we're friends."

Neji turned his body to face him. "Why's that?"

"Because he doesn't know my favorite food or drink or anything. Aren't friends supposed to know that? All he knows about me is that I like to draw and that I'm weird and spend a lot of time in the library."

"It just means that you have different interests. Naruto doesn't like reading and you do, so it's not that strange if he doesn't know what books you like to read."

"I know that but... but..." Sai hugged his knees. "But does he know anything about me? If we're friends, he should know something about me. Otherwise... otherwise..."

Sai started to feel really sad and frightened. His eyes burned with despair and he shut them tight, feeling them water.

If Naruto didn't know that much about him, could they really be called friends?

Were they even friends? Maybe they were just teammates.

How could they be friends and know so little about each other? It didn't make sense to him.

Neji went over and touched Sai's knee. "It's ok," he told him comfortingly. "It's ok. I'm sure it will be fine."

Sai stood up. "If he doesn't know anything about me, how can I trust him to point me in the right direction? How can I believe he'll help me remember who I really am? Who I was before? I need answers and he can't give them to me!"

Sai turned and ran into the woods.

"Wait a minute!" Neji chased after him. "Don't go running off. I'm sure we-"

Sai shoved Neji as he got closer. "Leave me alone! I need time to work this out! I have to figure out who I should listen to. Who I can trust." A tear rolled down Sai's cheek.

"I know you're upset. I'm upset, too."

"But at least you have people who know something about you. I have nothing! Naruto's supposed to be my friend and he doesn't know my favorite food, my favorite book, my favorite color. He knows nothing about me! How can I trust him to help bring back my memory when he knows as much about me as I do?"

"But you said yourself that you like him and feel safe around him. That has to mean something."

"Maybe it does and maybe it doesn't. I could just be confused and latched on to the first person who showed me any kindness. I don't know. I don't know anything!"

This time, Neji wasn't so quick to chase after Sai when he tried to run off. He hesitated because he knew Sai was correct. Though they both had amnesia, Sai seemed to be the only one who had no one who knew anything about him. Even his own teammates knew so little about him. Neji had several people who knew something about him. They didn't know everything because according to them, he didn't share a lot about himself. What they knew, they learned from observation or from what little he had told them.

Sai was different. His suffering must have been far greater than his own. Sai really didn't know who he was and no one else seemed to know that either. It must have been horrible for him.

Neji blinked, realizing that Sai had gotten further away. "Wait! Sai, come back! We can work this out. We can talk-"

Sai ignored him, running further into the woods. He didn't know where he was running to. He just had to run. He didn't know anything.

He didn't know anything and his supposed friends knew even less.

Sai tripped over a fallen branch and stumbled into a tree. He stopped long enough to catch his breath. He looked around at his surroundings and wondered where he should go next.

Where could he go? He had a better chance with those people he was traveling with, but he had so many mixed feelings about them. Spur of the moment, he had decided to run but he didn't know why. It must have been his feelings spurring him to do this. It had nothing to do with logic. Now that he had calmed somewhat, he knew he had to go back, no matter how he felt about them. He stood no chance out here by himself. They would probably come after him anyway.

Sai looked from left to right, wondering where he should go and what he should do. Somehow, he felt like the decision was already made for him and he was just wasting time.

As he turned his head, something caught his eye and he stopped.

A pair of eyes were looking at him.

"Ah!" Sai jumped back and two arms reached out to grab him. Sai turned and ran from the arms. He ran only a few steps before the arms caught him and yanked him back. "Ahh! Help!"

A short distance away, Neji heard his cries. "Sai?"

"Help!"

"Sai!" Neji started to run forward, then stopped, wondering if he should go back for help. Would Sai be alright if he did? What if the enemy dragged him off before help could arrive? Neji pressed forward, believing he had to do something. He couldn't go back for help. He had to help Sai. Alone, if he had to. "Sai!"

Neji ran into the brush and jumped out expecting to see the enemy in front of him. The enemy wasn't in front; he was above. Neji craned his head up into the trees and saw the enemy dangling Sai overhead by his ankles.

"Help! Help!" Sai cried.

"I'm actually surprised," said the man holding him. "This one barely put up a fight. All he did was run and he wasn't very good at that either. Hope you turn out to be better."

Neji glared at the man. "Let him go!" he ordered.

"You'll have to come up here and make me."

Neji didn't know how to do that. He had no idea how ninja climbed trees the way they did or how they could jump as far as they could or hang upside down from a tree while looking like they were standing. He didn't know how to do any of it. All he knew how to do was throw punches and he didn't see how that would help Sai in this situation.

Unless...

Neji looked at the tree the man was perched on. He didn't know if this would work or not but he was willing to try. He ran forward and threw his palm into the trunk, hoping to break it. He had seen Hinata do it and he had been learning from her and Naruto for the past two days. However, all it resulted in was a sore hand.

"Ouch! Ow!"

The man laughed. "Was that it? You make this one look tough!" He swung Sai back and forward from his ankles, causing him to whimper and plead.

Neji looked around, hoping to get a new idea.

"Please, help!" Sai pleaded from above.

Neji looked back into the branches and stood directly below. "How about a trade? Take me instead of Sai."

"You want to take his place?"

Neji nodded. He wasn't just saying this as a heroic gesture. Of course, he hoped this would be enough to get Sai to safety, but he was hoping to get close enough to the enemy in order to land a hit. Maybe his hands didn't work on trees but surely they worked on a human body. Trading places might have been the only way to damage the enemy.

"Interesting proposal. Let me think about that." The man tilted his head to one side and puckered his lips in mock concentration. "Hm. Mmm... No!"

Neji growled.

"I'd rather have you both."

Neji looked around and saw that there was an identical man hiding behind him. When he tried to grab Neji, he automatically threw out his hand and slammed it into the man's chest. The man vanished in a puff of smoke.

"Ah?" Neji blinked. He didn't expect the man to vanish into thin air like this.

"It's no matter. I have more clones I can easily-" A kunai sank into the branch to the right of his cheek. The man narrowed his eyes at Neji.

Neji pulled out a second one and got ready to throw it. "Put him down or the next one is going between your eyes."

"But you intended to hit me that time, didn't you?"

Neji flinched.

"Man, you have bad aim. You a rookie or something? I didn't expect you to be this bad. The Leaf must be desperate to make someone like you a ninja." The man took one hand off Sai and started to weave several hand signs.

Desperate to stop him before he could finish, Neji threw the kunai. It sailed just over Sai's freed ankle and into the man's wrist. The impact caused him to release Sai's other ankle and let him drop. Neji ran forward and caught him in his arms.

"You ok?"

Sai nodded. "Y- yeah."

The man pulled the kunai from his wrist. "Got your weapon." He juggled it in the air before throwing it back at Neji who ducked. When Neji looked back, the man was no longer in the tree. He was in front of them.

Neji shoved Sai out of the way and threw out his hands to defend himself. The man slapped one hand aside and grabbed the other. He flipped Neji over his back and into a tree trunk. Neji staggered up and held up his arms to block. The man kicked him and Neji was sent flying into the tree a second time. With the wind knocked out of him, Neji slumped to the grass.

"Leaf ninja are so weak." The man drew a kunai and went in to finish him off.

Neji saw him coming and grabbed onto the man's wrist to keep the kunai from entering his chest. He pushed with all his might but the man was in a standing position and Neji was still sitting. The man had more power in his stance. There was only so much Neji could do from here.

Sai watched him struggle, wondering what he should do. He didn't know how to fight. He was no match for this man, but he couldn't abandon Neji either.

Neji kicked the man's shin, hoping to get him to fall. When he didn't Neji tried again but this time the man stepped on his leg as soon as he tried.

"You've certainly got a pair on you," Sai called from the sidelines. "Attacking someone you think is weaker than you. You sure you're a man?"

The enemy turned. "What was that, you little punk?!"

Sai flinched. "Uh..." He wasn't sure what made him say that but he said it and there was no taking it back.

Seeing the man get distracted, Neji pushed himself up and threw his body into the man's legs, causing both of them to roll across the ground and over the roots of another tree. Neji was on top and pressed the man's shoulders into the earth. Then the man rolled and was on top of Neji.

"Neji!"

Neji pushed the kunai away from his neck but once again found himself in a bad position. He could put his full weight behind the kunai if he wanted and Neji had nowhere to go. So far he was able to keep the blade away from his throat but he didn't know how long he could keep this up.

Suddenly, Neji's face was splattered with fresh blood. The man yelled and pulled a kunai from his shoulder. Neji took this opportunity to roll and push the man off of him. Neji got to his feet and took a fighting stance, ready to continue. Then he heard a noise and saw the members of their group come running out of the trees to help.

The man saw that he was outnumbered and grabbed Sai by his backpack. "I'll be taking this one." He pulled Sai into the trees.

"The hell you are!" Naruto chased after them while everyone told him to wait. "Get back here with Sai! I'm not going to let you take him!"

The man looked back but kept going. Sai's legs dangled as he was pulled deeper into the woods by his bag. "Naruto, help!" He was scared. He was so scared.

Suddenly, the man found his path blocked by a wall of wood. Yamato and closed off his escape route so there was only one way he could go now and that was back the way he came. The man tried to jump over the wall but it was too massive and the attempt had slowed his escape, allowing Naruto enough time to catch up.

"Sai, don't move!" someone yelled from below and a kunai cut one of the straps of the backpack. Sai slipped free and fell to the ground. He landed safely in Sakura's arms and she set him on the ground. Ino and Shikamaru stood nearby. "You ok?"

He nodded.

Above, Naruto was busy battling the ninja who tried to take Sai hostage. They slashed at each other with kunai, the man still holding onto Sai's bag. The man threw a kunai at the ground where the group was gathered with Sai.

"Paper bomb!" The group fled just as it exploded.

"That guy doesn't want us to interfere," said Ino.

"Either that or he thinks he can take us all on at once," said Sakura.

The wall of wood changed shape and became a wall of wooden spikes and started to close in around the man.

"Naruto, get out of there!" Yamato ordered.

Naruto refused to obey and instead grabbed onto the bag in the man's hand and pulled. The man pulled back and they were trapped in a tug-of-war. A second later, the man let go of the bag and tried to escape from the wooden spikes.

"There's a tag on it!" Sakura warned. "Naruto, let go of the bag!"

Naruto couldn't remove the tag in time. Refusing to let it go, he opened the bag and started to empty it.

"Naruto! Just drop the thing! Get rid of the bag!"

He refused. He turned the bag upside-down and let the books and other contents rain down. One book caught Naruto's eye and he tossed the bag aside just as it exploded. Naruto dove out of the tree and went straight for the falling book. Just this one in particular. It was heading straight for the fire caused by the first exploding tag.

The man appeared on a different branch and threw a series of kunai at Naruto.

"Look out!" Sakura warned.

Naruto grabbed the book before it landed in the fire and saw the kunai coming straight for him. There was no time to get out of the way. Instead of using the book as a shield as Sakura hoped he would do, Naruto tucked his body around the book, protecting it as the kunai sank into his back.

The man smirked. "Stupid boy. How foolish to- Huh?!"

His body was frozen where he stood.

It was Shikamaru's turn to smirk. "Gotcha. Shadow Possession Jutsu complete."

"Little brat!"

Shikamaru jumped to his left so the man would mimic his action, causing him to drop out of the tree and land in front of him.

"I'll take it from here, Shikamaru." Yamato encased the man in a wooden cocoon from which there was no escape. "Excellent job, Shikamaru. We've got him."

"What about Naruto?"

Sakura came running over along with Sai. Naruto was laying on his side, the kunai sticking out of his back. He was hurt but this wasn't serious. Naruto wouldn't die from such a thing.

"You idiot!" Sakura yelled and raised her fist, ready to bash his head in. "I told you to throw the bag away and you took your sweet time. Why the hell did you go diving out of a tree for that stupid book and then get stabbed like that? What the hell is wrong with you?! Why would you do that?"

Naruto grinned and held up the book he had rescued.

Sakura's anger drained out of her at once. Now she understood.

It was Sai's picture book.

Naruto held it out for Sai to take. "Here. It's yours."

"Mine?" Sai took it from him with confusion. This book meant nothing to him. He didn't even remember it. "Why would you risk your life for something like this?" he asked Naruto, wanting to know the reason.

"Because that book is very precious to you, Sai," Naruto said with a small smile. "I couldn't let anything happen to it." Naruto struggled into a sitting position. "Because it's important to you, it's important to me. I had to protect it."

Sai didn't know what to say. "But..." He looked down at the book Naruto risked his life to return to him. "But.. I don't remember this thing at all. I don't even know why it's important to me. I can't remember."

Naruto put his hand on Sai's shoulder. "Even if you don't remember, it's still important. And one day you will remember. Until you do, it's important for me to protect."

To protect something that was meaningless to him but important to a friend demonstrated just how much Naruto's friends meant to him and how much he cared. To go through that much seemed over the top to Sai but there was meaning in what Naruto did.

He knew how much this book meant to him. Naruto was willing to risk his life to protect it. Something Sai valued but he did not. He knew it meant something to Sai.

Sai held the book close to his chest and closed his eyes.

Naruto may not have known his favorite food or color, but he knew what was truly important.

How could he think for a second that this person wasn't his true friend? He was all wrong. He got too emotional and wasn't thinking straight. He let himself get overwhelmed and become doubtful and frustrated.

Naruto would protect something his friends found precious. If it was important to them, in was important for him to protect. For him, this is what truly mattered. More than knowing one's favorite foods. He understood them. He knew them.

They were his friends.

Sai opened his eyes and looked at Naruto with a sad and grateful smile.

He wanted now more than ever to remember. He wanted to know the meaning of this book and why it was so important to him so he could understand what Naruto did for him.

* * *

Please review! ^-^


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9:**

Yamato approached the man they had captured. Now that he was held in place, they managed to get a good look at him. This man had short dark hair and sharp, determined eyes. Only his head was visible, the rest of his body hidden by the thick wood Yamato used to bind him. He had a slight tan and a pointed chin but other than this there were no other markings or anything about him that stood out. He didn't wear a ninja headband on his forehead so it was impossible to know where he was from and he had no symbols of his clan on his person as far as they could see.

"Time to see what he knows." Yamato stepped back. "Ino, you're up."

When the man saw Ino step forward, he chuckled. "You really think I'll talk? Use all the interrogation you want. You'll never get anything out of me. And come on, using a girl to do the dirty work for you? How sad."

Sakura checked Neji over for injuries and watched what was happening at the same time. Neji turned his head and whispered, "What's that girl going to do to him?"

"Ino's going to take a peek inside his mind."

"She can read minds?"

"No, it's not the same. It's more like... Actually, I'm not sure how she does it. She has a few jutsu techniques she can use to get the job done."

Ino stepped forward and faced the man puckering his lips as if to kiss her. He chuckled when she didn't respond. This man didn't seem to be under any sort of Genjutsu. Ino decided to try a variation of a couple different techniques she knew in order to see what was lurking inside of him. If someone was using this man's body, she could draw out the real person lurking inside. She might even be able to break whatever jutsu he was under, drawing out the true nature of the man before her.

"Here we go." Ino performed a few hand signs and placed her hand on his forehead. As soon as she touched him, the man fell silent and his face grew still and calm. His unfocused eyes stared at a random spot on the ground and stayed there.

Everyone was silent, waiting for her to finish.

Ino's face was calm as she entered his mind and began her search. It wasn't long before her face started to show signs of trouble. She frowned. She frowned harder. Then she opened her eyes and stepped back.

"What is it? What did you find?"

Ino looked startled as she addressed the group. "I... I- I don't know. I've never seen anything like this before. It's so strange. I'm not even sure how to describe it."

"Try. What went on in there?"

"It's so weird. It was... Nothing. Normally if I use this, I can get a feeling for what's going on inside of them or even sense what their thoughts are. But with him... it's almost like it's blocked."

"Like a seal? So it is a jutsu?" asked Sakura.

"I don't know. It's... vague," she said. "Like I said, I'm not sure how to explain. It just doesn't feel... natural. I don't get it." Ino looked back at the man behind her. "Something's not right about him. I don't know what it is, but it's strange."

Sakura stepped forward. "If it is a jutsu, then I'll break it right now." Sakura tapped the man's forehead. "Release!"

The man frowned. "Ow..." He gave her a crossed look.

Seeing no change, Sakura tried a more powerful removal technique. It would break even the strongest Genjutsu. "Release!"

"I said ow!" the man snapped. "Quit poking me with you damn nails, woman!"

"It's not Genjutsu..."

"Then what could be..?"

"Fire Style, Flame Shuriken!"

Flames rained down from behind and engulfed the wood binding the man. The sudden explosion stirred up smoke and caused everyone to back away, shielding their faces from the blaze with their arms. By the time the smoke settled, the man was gone.

"Looks like his buddy came and got him," said Kiba. "Great. Now what?"

"It doesn't look like that guy would have had much to offer us in the first place," said Ino. "Deep inside, it was like his mind is a jumble but not confused. I don't get it. But I doubt we would have been able to get anything out of him."

"We still shouldn't have let the guy go. Don't we need him for something?" asked Naruto. "Maybe to trade for Kakashi-sensei or something?"

Yamato shook his head. "I doubt a trade would have worked. Remember, Kakashi isn't the same as he was before and I don't know why. And if we bargain for one man, they might start to think something's up. If they think we're just after Kakashi, they might do something to him. It could be dangerous."

"So what do we do now?"

Yamato sighed. "Give me a minute to think."

* * *

Back at the hideout, Seigi addressed the ninja standing before his throne.

"So you allowed one of our men to be taken hostage, is that it?"

Shizuka hung his head. "I retrieved Suzume," he said.

"After you allowed him to be captured in the first place. Is that right?"

Shizuka bit his lip.

"You know the consequences for such a thing. The missions I assign you are to go off without a hitch."

Seigi stood up from his throne and stepped slowly down the steps and was illuminated by the light of the lamps lining the walls. He was a large man with dark unkempt hair and had the complexion of a ripe peach. He was well built and wore layers of clothing which made him look even larger. At his side, he dragged a long whip with barbs at the tip.

As soon as Shizuka saw this he gulped.

Seigi, his boss, pulled the whip tight in his hands and faced Shizuka. He started to raise it over his shoulder.

"My Master, please wait." Kakashi stepped between him and Shizuka.

"What is the meaning of his, Kakashi?" asked Seigi.

"I must confess the truth, My Master." Kakashi bowed his head. "It was my fault Suzume was captured. Shizuka rescued him to make up for my mistake. He performed flawlessly. It was my mishap and therefore my fault. He should not get punished in my place. I am the one who screwed up and allowed Suzume to get captured."

Shizuka's mouth fell open, staring at Kakashi.

"Very well." Seigi took a step back. "In that case, Shizuka, you may go. Leave at once."

Shizuka opened his mouth to protest but knew his master would not listen and would not tolerate hesitation or backtalk. Shizuka bowed and left the room. He closed the door and stood outside in the hallway.

Kakashi faced Seigi with no expression.

Seigi smile at him, whip still in hand. "Thank you for your honesty, Kakashi."

He cracked the whip and a gash appeared on Kakashi's cheek. His mask split, allowing the blood to be exposed. Seigi gave the whip a sharp snap and Kakashi cried out and fell to the ground, another tear appearing on his mask.

Shizuka stood outside the room, listening to Kakashi's cries of pain and the sharp snaps of the whip.

* * *

Deciding it was best to set up camp for that evening, Yamato provided the group shelter with his Wood Style Jutsu, creating a large cabin in the woods. It was large enough to accommodate everyone but there weren't individual rooms. Just one large space and a balcony. Yamato said that they would alternate watch duty that evening and the next morning, they would go hunting for the enemy.

They went over a new plan before turning in for the night. This time, both Sai and Neji listened intently and had every intention of participating. Before, it was just to be on the same page as everyone else. For Sai, it still felt the same, but Neji's feelings had changed. Before, he felt like an outsider listening in. Now that he had seen battle, he felt like a part of the group. He wanted to contribute more.

"Neji," said Yamato. "I see that you faced one of those ninja by yourself in order to rescue Sai. How are your injuries?"

"I'm fine."

Yamato gave a small nod of his head. "You seemed to do well, holding your own against an enemy like that. These guys are tough. You did well."

Neji felt pretty proud of himself and wanted to do more. A lot more.

"They mocked both of us," said Sai. "Called us weak."

"You two are not weak by any means. You've simply forgotten how to fight. Once your memories are restored, that will all change and you'll go back to normal. Everything will be as it was before." Yamato turned his head. "Although, if that's their impression, then the enemy might not be expecting much from us. If they underestimate us, we could have an advantage."

"I don't think so," said Shikamaru. "They were testing our strength before and saw our jutsu. Now they know what to expect. They also know that we managed to capture one of their men so they know we're capable. I'm thinking that the enemy is going to pinpoint Sai and Neji as the weak ones in the group, which means they'll be the first ones targeted."

"That could be. But if we're expecting them to target those two, then we'll be able to take precautions, knowing what their game is."

"Or they could assume that we're already thinking that and change their game plan accordingly."

Naruto didn't care about plans or who would be considered an easy target. He just wanted Kakashi to be recovered. He wanted to save him.

He didn't know why they were camping out when they should have been following the enemy's tracks. The longer they waited, the longer the enemy had to come up with a new battle plan. The longer this took, the longer Kakashi was in enemy hands.

Yamato pointed out that a few of them had been injured and needed time to recover their strength. They also had to be considerate of Sai and Neji. Being on a mission like this was stressful enough for an experienced ninja, let alone two who no longer remembered being ninja. Yamato didn't want them to get overwhelmed.

After their meeting, everyone went to different corners to sleep while Yamato took the first watch. Hardly anyone could get to sleep that night. Naruto was one of them. He lay curled in his sleeping bag, staring at the wall, wondering about Kakashi's condition.

What had these people done to him? Could this have really been a jutsu? Was he blackmailed? It was impossible for him to go rouge. He would never betray them and he would never hurt them. The fact that he had intentionally burned Sakura had Naruto convinced that Kakashi wasn't in his right mind. Was he brainwashed? Had the enemy brainwashed him? Why? For what purpose? Did they need Kakashi for something? Why was this happening? Why?

"Naruto?" Sai whispered to him.

"Yeah?" Naruto asked without turning around.

"Can I stay with you?"

Naruto rolled onto his back. "What?"

"I want to sleep next to you tonight. If that's ok."

Sai's innocent eyes and timid question persuaded Naruto into allowing it. "Uh... Sure."

"Thanks." Sai curled up on the floor next to him.

Naruto looked at Sai and noticed he was still clutching the picture book to his chest. Though Sai didn't remember its significance, he knew it was important. He had other books with him, using them as pillows as he lay on the floor.

"What are these?" Naruto asked, running his finger over the hard covers and book spines. "They fell out of your bag, too."

"I, um..." Sai looked away as if embarrassed.

This only made Naruto more curious. "Let me see."

Sai lifted his head and Naruto pulled the books out from under him. One cover read 'Coping with Amnesia' and the other read 'Understanding Amnesia'. Naruto looked at the third book which read 'Guide to Helping You Remember, Tips and Tricks for the Forgetful'.

Naruto looked at Sai who looked down. "Where did you get these?"

"The library," Sai answered truthfully. "When you had left me there, I checked these out while you were at your meeting thing. I thought maybe they could help me."

Naruto couldn't get annoyed. Not this time. This time, he was happy.

This was how Sai was on a normal basis. He was always checking out books and trying to learn all that he could. Most of the time, Naruto found it extremely annoying, but this time was different. This was a glimpse of Sai as he was before. Some aspects of him had remained the same.

Naruto took this as a good sign. Sai was still Sai. If he was checking out books in order to gain a better understanding and learn more, then it was a sign that he was getting better.

Or rather that he could get better. Some traits were still present within him.

"Sai..." Naruto handed him the books. "Do you know what this is?"

"Uh... borrowing?"

"No, no. I mean what you're doing. Checking these things out."

Sai shook his head.

"This is how you were before you lost your memory. You were always checking books out and reading all that you could."

Sai had unknowingly done something he had done before he lost his memory. He had done something he normally did without a second thought. "Really?" Sai was getting excited.

Could this mean that he was on the mend?

He didn't care. He was just happy knowing that he had done something normal. Normal for him. Sai felt like he was getting back to his old self. No, more like he was getting to know who he was. Who he truly was.

He was still himself. Checking out these books was a sign of that. He didn't have to worry about being someone completely different. Who he was was a part of him. That's what it felt like to him.

"This is normal?" Sai asked, holding up the books. "I do this normally? This is me?"

Naruto nodded. "Yes. Yes, it is."

Sai's face broke into a wide smile. "So a part of me already knows. So I am..." Sai hugged the books to his chest and giggled.

"You ok?"

He nodded up and down. "Uh-huh! I'm just... really happy. I'm glad I did something I normally do without thinking about it or having to ask. I'm so glad."

Suddenly, Sai didn't feel so lost.

"I'm happy for you, Sai. Really. But, you think you can calm down and go to sleep?"

He nodded again. "Uh-huh. Uh-huh." Sai flopped down next to Naruto, still clutching the books to his chest.

Naruto rolled his eyes with a smile. "Good-night, Sai."

"Good-night," Sai said in a higher voice than usual. He was so giddy, it was effecting his vocal cords. A part of him wanted to jump up and down in celebration at this discovery but he had to contain himself. Instead, he rocked back and forth on the floor, holding the books tightly.

These books, his actions... They were clues to discovering who he was. Who Sai was.

Neji was trying to settle down for the evening, but he was too excited to sleep. He felt such pride, being able to hold his own against a powerful enemy without fully knowing what he was doing. Even Yamato had praised him. He wanted to do more. He wanted to improve and be able to fight. He wanted to join the group in battle. Maybe tomorrow he would get his chance.

He noticed someone on the balcony and wondered if it was Yamato. He got out of his sleeping bag and climbed the stairs to the second level.

Shikamaru was pacing the balcony by himself. Neji stood, waiting for Shikamaru to notice him. When he didn't appear to, Neji cleared his throat to get his attention.

Shikamaru glanced up and stopped pacing. "Shouldn't you be resting for tomorrow?"

"Shouldn't you?"

"I can't sleep."

"Me neither."

Shikamaru turned to face the window. His gaze fixed on the tree branches outside and the night sky partly obscured by clouds.

"Are you ok?"

Shikamaru didn't answer.

Neji approached slowly and stood beside him at the window. "Are you keeping watch?" he asked softly.

"I guess I am."

"I thought the other guy was doing it."

"Yamato?"

"Yeah, him."

"He is. But..." Shikamaru sighed. "I wanted to keep watch, too."

"He said he'll switch. Then you'll get a turn. If you're watching at the same time he is, you'll be even more tired when it's your shift."

Shikamaru gripped the windowsill with both hands.

"Did I say something?"

Shikamaru grew very tense. "I'm sorry."

Neji was taken aback by this. "For what?"

Shikamaru took two uneven breaths before answering. "I was on watch the night you and Sai lost your memories." He hung his head. "I was on watch... when it happened. It's my fault."

"How is it your fault?"

"Because I was supposed to be watching out for you guys and I let it happen. I don't even know what happened to you guys to make you forget everything. How bad is that? That I don't know what caused it..?"

Neji wasn't angry about this at all. Rather indifferent, actually. "I'm not mad at you. In fact, I don't think it was your fault. It couldn't be your fault, otherwise I would be mad at you. The fact that I'm not angry at all must mean that you're not at fault here."

He shook his head. "Lady Tsunade checked you both over for injuries and found nothing. No signs of trauma or anything. You didn't get bashed in the head, nothing fell on you, you didn't witness anything horrific. Nothing like that happened. She even checked to see if it was a jutsu and couldn't detect anything. She even tried breaking the jutsu if it was there and nothing happened."

"So?"

"So I..." Shikamaru sighed. "I've been beating myself up over it. Especially after what happened with Kakashi. About Naruto thinking he was hit with the same jutsu as you guys. But you didn't seem to be hit with a jutsu. Even if you were, it's not the same as Kakashi's. He's acting too different. Not like someone with amnesia at all. It's such a drastic change for only a couple of days.. But... the thing is..."

Shikamaru paused, trying to think of the words.

"The thing is... if you really were hit by a jutsu on my watch, that makes it my fault. I should have seen the enemy or sensed them or something. I'm a terrible look-out if that's the case. I let my guard down and you and Sai paid for my negligence. I'm sorry. If only I had paid more attention."

"I told you, I'm not mad at you. I don't think it's your fault." Neji tried to think of something comforting to say but all that came out was, "At least you didn't lose your memory, too. Then we all would have been screwed."

"Yeah," Shikamaru chuckled. "We all would have been..."

His sentence stopped there, his face taking on a look of shock.

"What is it?" asked Neji.

"All of us..." Shikamaru suddenly realized that there was no consistency. If it was a jutsu, they all should have been effected. "Just you two. Naruto and I still have our memories. So why was it just you two?"

Neji shrugged. "I can't remember anything past the beginning of the week, so don't ask me."

"I was on watch and you, Sai and Naruto were all asleep. Why is it that half of us got amnesia and the other half didn't? What did you guys do differently? Let me think."

Shikamaru tried to play back the evening in his mind, hoping to catch something he missed before.

"You guys didn't eat anything strange. We all filled our canteens from the same river. There weren't any strange plants at the campsite. No bugs bit you or stung you. You weren't running a fever and neither of you got injured. So what is it? What's different?"

"There was no one else there but the four of us?"

"I didn't see anyone. Which is why I was so upset in the beginning, thinking I hadn't noticed the danger."

"We didn't do anything weird?"

Shikamaru shook his head. "You all went to sleep and I stayed up to take the watch."

"So we were all asleep at the time?"

"Yes. All of you. Except me."

"Maybe we lost our memories in our sleep. But if that's the case then why not Naruto, too?"

"Yeah, that's the strange part. Naruto didn't..." That's when he remembered a tiny detail of that evening. "No, wait. Naruto got up in the middle of the night to use the bushes. He woke up."

Neji had the same thought. "So whatever happened to us, happened while we were asleep. Because Naruto got up, he didn't lose his memory like Sai and myself."

"That's what I'm thinking."

Then Neji had a disturbing thought. "If Naruto left to use the bushes, he would have been out of your sight. Could he have done something to us?"

"Naruto would never do that. He's just as worried about you guys as well. Besides, Naruto doesn't have any mind altering capabilities so that would be impossible."

"I'm not blaming him. The thought just popped into my head and I don't know why." Neji lowered his gaze. "Sorry. I didn't mean for it to come out like that."

"No, I know what you mean. You're not trying to be suspicious, juts trying to figure this out, same as me." Shikamaru looked back out the window. "But that could be the common denominator. Those who were asleep lost their memories, those who were awake weren't effected. But still..." He lowered his head. "If this was an enemy's doing, why didn't I sense them?"

"If Naruto was awake in the same forest, why didn't he?"

Neji had a point. That did help Shikamaru feel a little better. Even if he did fail, it meant that Naruto failed, too. Still, he didn't like to fail when it came to the safety and well-being of his friends.

"Don't worry," said Neji. "We'll figure this out."

"It's just so frustrating and confusing. Not knowing and wondering..."

Neji chuckled. "Imagine how I feel."

Shikamaru gave a sympathetic smile.

As confused and unsure as Shikamaru was feeling about not knowing the details, he knew Neji was suffering a lot more than he was. At least Shikamaru remembered the details of his life and knew who he was. Neji couldn't say that about himself. His memories only went as far back as the beginning of the week.

Keeping that in mind, Shikamaru couldn't complain about being unable to answer for every single detail of one evening. He remembered that night, but never seeing an enemy.

Just as Sai and Neji had to figure things out, Shikamaru had to figure things out as well.

Once he had that answer, it might be easier to help out the other two.

Maybe even Kakashi.

* * *

Kakashi sat on the edge of his bed, pressing a damp cloth to the gash on his rib. He winced, enduring the pain.

"My friend..."

Kakashi looked towards the door and saw Shizuka watching him. "It's not that bad," Kakashi told him.

Shizuka looked at the multiple gashes on Kakashi's back and sides. This was punishment for slip-ups on missions. The punishment for failure was even worse. Shizuka sat behind Kakashi on the bed and pressed a second cloth to the wounds on Kakashi's back.

He moaned at the painful stinging sensation.

Shizuka moved the cloth to another wound and asked, "Why did you take the fall for me?"

"What do you mean?"

"I was the one who was supposed to backup Suzume. Why did you tell the boss that you're the one at fault? That you messed up?"

"Because I did," Kakashi told him. "I let Suzume get captured, too. And you're the one who rescued him. I didn't. Therefore, you shouldn't get punished. You saved him and I didn't."

Shizuka looked at the wounds on Kakashi's back and frowned. "But you..."

"It doesn't hurt that much. Really." Kakashi smiled at him through his newly mended mask. "I'm just being a crybaby."

Shizuka smiled at that remark. And for what Kakashi did for him. "I got your back, Kakashi."

"That another one of your stupid jokes?"

Shizuka pressed the cloth into the wound between Kakashi's shoulder blades and watched him kick his legs in pain. "I meant it, man! Jeez. When I'm being honest, you have to make it into a joke."

"So what if I do?" Kakashi sighed, the pain subsiding. "So what if I do?"

* * *

Please review! ^-^


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10:**

They made great progress in the morning. According to Kiba, Kakashi's scent was getting stronger, meaning that they must have been close to the enemy's hideout.

"Remember, everyone," said Yamato as they ran deeper into the woods. "Our objective is to stop them and retrieve Kakashi. We have to subdue him somehow and that will not be easy. Same thing goes for the men he's traveling with. We don't know the whole story, so don't try to kill them. Try to capture them if you can."

Naruto was itching with excitement. He was pumped up for battle, but he was mostly excited to see Kakashi again. Excited in a good and bad way once more. He didn't want to fight him like this but he wanted to see him again and make sure he was alright.

What had the enemy done to him? How were they going to save him?

Naruto glanced to his right and saw Sakura's burnt arm and grimaced.

What were they going to do?

"Kakashi-sensei..." he whispered to himself.

Kiba and Akamaru led the group through the trees with Yamato close by.

There came a loud snapping sound and something that sounded like the downpour of rain. Suddenly, Yamato, Kiba and Akamaru found themselves separated from the rest of the group. Everyone came to a suddenly halt as the trees before them started to fall, blocking their path.

"Time to pay you back for yesterday, kiddies!"

There was no time to reunite with with the rest of the group. It was an ambush. A ninja came down from the trees and landed behind Yamato and started slashing. Kiba and Akamaru had to offer their support. At the same moment, the rest of the group found themselves surrounded by the same ninja they had seen the other day.

"They cut us off from Kiba and Captain Yamato," said Sakura. "The enemy wants to split us up. Don't let them."

Shikamaru's eyes darted from one enemy to the next. "Three... Four... Five. And no doubt Yamato is facing the sixth one on the other side of those fallen trees. And it looks like they're the same ninja as the other day."

This was important news as far as Shikamaru was concerned. Since they weren't seeing any new faces, this must have meant that these six ninja were the only ones the enemy had in his army. If the enemy only had six people in total, it was no wonder they were trying to eliminate the Leaf Village's population in smaller groups. Six people wasn't enough.

However, this was also concerning. Not only was this an assumption, it only counted for the people in an army and not the leader. There may have been six people taking part in battle, but this wasn't everyone they had to deal with. Someone was orchestrating it. Someone had to be leading them, and that leader wasn't here. They were simply carrying out the orders of someone else.

"The leader must be hiding somewhere safe. He's not among them," Shikamaru decided. This meant, even if they did defeat these six ninja, the battle was far from over. They still needed to find the leader and deal with him. To make matters worse, they had no idea what the leader looked like. His identity was shrouded in mystery, which made it easy for him to hide.

"I'll show you mine if you show me yours," one of the ninja called from above. "Fire Style, Flame Shuriken!"

The group split up to dodge the attack. They were more spread out which meant they weren't such an easy target. This also made it easier for individual fights to take place.

The ninja stood in different locations on the battle field. Some remained in the trees while others stood on the ground. This meant the group had to be aware of attacks coming from different angles.

A ninja jumped down and landed in front of Sakura and Ino.

"Yo," greeted Kakashi.

The girls got ready to defend themselves but they were nervous about facing him. Ino had worked with Kakashi before on a couple of missions so she knew how strong he was. However, Sakura knew him even better than she did and on a different level. This was her sensei. Ino could only imagine how hard this must have been for her.

Kakashi looked at the scorch mark on Sakura's arm and sneered. "Does it hurt?"

Sakura flinched. She had no idea Kakashi could sound so cruel. His voice was so different. So full of malice and cockiness. He didn't sound like himself at all.

"Don't worry," he told her. "It won't hurt for much longer. I'll make sure of that."

Kakashi started to weave hand signs faster than their eyes could track.

Yari glanced over at Kakashi's battle and smirked. "What a lady's man, that guy is. Ha! Don't hog all the babes for yourself, you hear?"

"I heard you," Kakashi told him. "If you like, I can give you one of them to play with."

"The pink-haired chick looks pretty weak. Why don't you play with her?"

"I figured the blond one was weaker, so you can have her."

Yari laughed. "Oh, so that's how it is, huh?"

Supaisu yelled down from the trees, "They're girls, for crying out loud! They're both weak!"

"Nobody asked you!" yelled Kakashi.

"You're wasting time with this stupid weak versus weak contest. Just pick one and kill them already! I don't got all day!"

"Fine by me," Yari said with a shrug. "I'll take the one that isn't built like a board."

Sakura's eye twitched. In her rage, she forgot that Kakashi was standing in front of her and went after Yari instead. She had had enough of their talk and that comment just sent her over the edge.

"Shut up, shannaro!" Sakura slammed her fist into the ground with all her might, causing the ground to split and quake.

The ninja hiding in the tree was nearly shaken loose and Yari nearly fell into the hole Sakura created. Kakashi stood staring wide-eyed at the whole situation.

Sakura pulled herself up and snarled at the man staring back at her. "Cha!"

Yari looked from Sakura to Kakashi. "You take her."

"Nah, you can have that one if you want her."

"Sure, give me the chick with the attitude!"

"Fine," Kakashi sighed. "If you don't want her, I'll take her."

Yari looked at Sakura, then back at him. "Actually... She's grown on me a little. If she can pack that much of a punch, she might be worth fighting. Never mind. I'll take them both... Just for fun."

"Think you can handle them both?" Kakashi raised his brow.

"Of course I can. Besides, I wouldn't mind getting a little action with the ladies. It's been a while." Yari started to weave his hand signs just as fast as Kakashi had before getting distracted. "Ice Style, Ice Plane Jutsu!"

The ground beneath them began to freeze and the damage from Sakura's fist quickly turned into sharp ice stalagmites pointing in different directions on the battlefield. Large mounds of ice with jagged edges released a chilling steam into the warm air like the breath of an ice dragon.

Yari smirked when he saw the looks on their faces. "Isn't it pretty?" he asked the girls. "Let me show you what else my Ice Style can do." He started to weave more hand signs. "Ice Style, Ice Spear Jutsu!"

The ice cracked and a large spear made entirely of ice shot up from the ground, cutting into Ino's exposed shoulder. Another spear emerged close to the first and another followed. One after the other until the area around the girls looked like a porcupine's back. Since the spears sprouted in different directions, it was impossible for them to evade without getting caught by at least one of them. Ino and Sakura were forced to crouch down under all the spears to avoid getting hit, but now they were trapped. If another spear came from underneath, it would be impossible for them to get away in time. They had nowhere to go.

"Too easy." Yari got ready to use another spear. This one was going right where they were crouching.

Before he could complete the jutsu, the ice shattered like glass and Sakura came running out with her fist held high. "Cha!"

"Whoa!" Yari veered to the side to avoid her punch. Sakura grabbed the back of Yari's shirt and turned her body as her feet slid on the ice. "Ah, crap!" Sakura had made a full circle around him and came back swinging.

"Cha!" Her punch landed right in his face and sent him flying into one of his comrades.

"Yari, you dumb-ass!" yelled Suzume. "I just about had this punk trapped and you had to go and mess everything up!"

"Like I knew a chick with her build could punch like that! She hits hard, bro!"

"Don't bro me!"

"I'm going to start knocking heads in a minute if you two don't stop with the crap!" shouted Supaisu. "I swear things were going so smoothly until that one slip-up. Now everyone's jumping on top of each other..."

"It's not that," said Kakashi. "Everyone's gotten so cocky, they've lost sight of the mission. Because we're facing a bunch of kids, they feel the need to show off and not take things seriously. It's sad, really."

Shizuka heard what Kakashi said from his position above and smirked. "Way to read the situation, my friend." He performed some hand signs. "At least I take things seriously. Fire Style, Flame Shuriken!"

Shizuka's jutsu melted the ice under Ino's feet, creating a huge puddle. She turned her body and tried to catch him in her own jutsu, but he jumped to a different location.

At the same time, Yari used his jutsu while Ino searched for Shizuka. Though their powers were fire and ice, they complemented each other well. The puddle Ino stood in solidified into ice, trapping her from the ankle down. She could no longer move or get away.

"Perfect. And now for my next trick..." Yari pulled a kunai from his belt and moved in to cut Ino's throat.

Sakura jumped between them to protect her friend and knocked the blade aside. While they fought, Ino tried to free herself by chipping away at the ice with her own kunai, being careful not to slip and cut into her own flesh.

On the other side of the fallen trees, Yamato and Kiba listened to the battle waging on behind them. The ninja they were facing was taking up all of their time and energy. There was no chance for either of them to go on the other side of the trees to help. Not until this person was dealt with.

"I wouldn't get distracted if I were you," said the ninja. "You're facing me."

"Can we at least know who we're fighting?" asked Yamato.

"Trying to get my name, are you?" The ninja smirked. "We don't really call each other by name when we're on missions. We prefer to be kept in secrecy."

"We already know a few of your names, anyway." Yamato took the risk and revealed the one name he knew for certain. "Kakashi is one name, but I know he isn't you. He's on the other side of this blockage fighting our friends."

The ninja smirked again. "I see. So someone slipped and shouted his name out in the middle of a fight or a retreat. Fine then. Since you asked, I'll tell you my name. I am Hebi. Now you know the name of the one who killed you."

"Try it!" Kiba growled. "It's three against one. Your odds aren't looking too good."

"Oh, they aren't, are they? We'll see about that." Hebi made his hand signs. "Viper Vine Jutsu!"

The ground beneath Akamaru began to tremble and it wasn't from the battle behind them. Before he could figure out the cause, he was thrust into the air and restrained by dozens of thorny vines.

"Akamaru!"

The vines constricted Kiba's dog but weren't trying to kill him.

Yamato noticed the jutsu being used and was taken by surprise. "Is that a... plant style?"

"So you noticed?" sneered Hebi. "I thought you were a total fool so I didn't think you would catch on so quickly. Yes, I wield the plant style. Very unique, isn't it?"

Kiba tried to free his canine partner while Hebi spoke with Yamato but his one chance was already gone. The vines stretched and tangled around his arms and legs, hoisting him into the air beside his dog.

"This will even the odds," declared Hebi. "Shall we make this a one-on-one? Or should I finish them off first? I could just leave them up there to watch me take you down, but..."

Yamato was already attacking. He tried to trap Hebi in a wooden dome but he moved too quickly. Yamato tried blocking his path with a large board of wood but he avoided that as well. Again and again he tried to catch Hebi but he was just too quick for him.

"You wield the wood style," said Hebi, watching the wood grow and shrink from the trees and ground. "Also unique. You would have done well in our group. The boss likes those with useful techniques."

Was that why Kakashi was taken? Was it because of the power he had? The jutsu he possessed or his Sharingan eye or both? Yamato had to wonder why Kakashi was now a part of their group. Hebi was leaving clues, but Yamato had to focus on the task at hand. If he got distracted now, he would end up in the same trap as Kiba and Akamaru.

Another board of wood shot out of the tree Hebi was perched on and tried to grab him. Hebi jumped to another tree and another board came at him from behind. Hebi landed on the ground and several wooden spears shot up from the ground, trapping him where he stood. The spears could have easily pierced his body but Yamato was avoiding that. He just wanted him contained.

"Plant Style, Plantation Prison!"

Within a matter of seconds, Yamato found himself wrapped from head to toe in vines and leaves. They were so tight and there were so many of them. They coiled around him multiple times until he was trapped in a cocoon three times his size. He couldn't move an inch.

"Perfect." Hebi freed himself and approached the cocoon and looked into Yamato's eyes. Every other part of his body had been covered. Only his eyes and part of his nose were visible. "You Leaf ninja don't put up much of a fight, do you? You're so weak."

Yamato couldn't respond.

"All I have to do is pull all of these vines tight and you'll be crushed. Don't worry. It happens so quick, it's pretty painless. Consider that a courtesy."

Yamato knew he was in trouble, but he wasn't afraid. He had a feeling Hebi wouldn't finish him off so quickly because he would have done so by now if he wanted to. He must have been keeping him alive for a reason. Perhaps to use him as a hostage. Or even worse, force him to work for their boss. It was still unclear why Kakashi was behaving this way. Brainwashing was a likely explanation among many others. Whatever the enemy did to Kakashi, they might have wanted to do to him as well. Especially now that the enemy knew he also possessed a unique jutsu and according to Hebi, their boss valued such rarities.

Hebi blinked. He fell silent, listening. Yamato couldn't hear very well, trapped in this cocoon, but he could hear words. Whatever Hebi was hearing, it wasn't a voice. It was another sound. Hebi turned his head back to where he had left Kiba and Akamaru. "Hey!"

Yamato looked as far as he could to the left. His eyes widened with worry.

Neji was in the tree, cutting the vines with his kunai. He clung to the tree with his legs and one arm while the other furiously cut at the vines. As soon as he heard Hebi yell, he worked even faster to free Kiba.

Hebi turned away from Yamato to stop Neji. Yamato fought hard against his restraints but there was nothing he could do. He feared for Neji's life. Being unable to recall any of his ninja training, Neji would be unable to defend himself. He didn't even climb up the tree using ninja methods. He was just a normal human being. He stood no chance against Hebi.

Neji's blade cut through another vine which caused two others to snap and fall limp.

"Stop that!" Hebi made another hand sign. "Viper Vine Justu!"

A vine wrapped around Neji's wrist and held his arm in place. At the same time, more vines twisted around the opening Neji's kunai had made in Kiba's restraints. It was as if nothing had happened.

"Nice try but I've got the upper hand in this."

Yamato could have praised Neji for his bravery and daring rescue attempt, but he also wanted to scold his recklessness. Yamato also had to wonder what became of Sai. If Neji was here then Sai couldn't have been that far off.

Hebi listened to the sounds of battle coming from the other side of the fallen trees with a smile. "You may outnumber us, but it sounds like we're winning. You Leaf ninja are so weak."

* * *

Shikamaru's shadow reached for the enemy but once again fell just short of his target. His shadow quivered and shrank back to him. Shikamaru fell to one knee, panting. At this rate, he was going to run out of chakra before he ensnared the enemy.

It seemed the enemy had decided to take them all seriously and were fighting at full strength. They were better than anticipated. Shikamaru was starting to think they were nothing but talk, or at least talked big to intimidate them. They could actually back up all that talk and attitude. Now he was worried.

Through the fray, Shikamaru lost sight of Kakashi for a few seconds but he was still a part of the group. Occasionally, the attacks would reach into another battle, but for the most part, everyone had chosen to take on certain members so it wasn't a free-for-all.

Sakura finally had an opening. Yari was in her sights. "Cha!" Her punch went right through his chest, impaling him. She knew her punch wasn't that powerful. She quickly pulled her arm free and saw the man in front of her start to crack like a glass statue and shatter. It had been an ice clone. She looked around for the real Yari but couldn't find him.

He couldn't have run off so he must have been here with them, but where?

"Boo!" Yari grabbed Sakura from behind and held her to his chest. "I didn't just use this ice to freeze the ground in order for you to slip and slide. I can emerge from the ice like a dolphin in water. Pop! Here I am."

Sakura snapped her head back, slamming her skull into Yari's jaw. His grip weakened and she pulled one arm free. She raised her fist and went for his face. Yari grabbed her arm with his hand and where his flesh made contact, her arm began to freeze. Sakura pulled back, seeing her arm slowly begin to frost over like glass on a cold winter's night. She pulled free and examined her arm. It had gone numb from the coldness but there was no damage and her skin was just a reddish color. There was no sign of hypothermia. However, if he could freeze flesh with a touch of his hand, she was in trouble. She had to avoid being grabbed by this man.

"Fire Style, Flaming Carriage Jutsu!"

Ino ran from the attack, knowing what was coming. This was her second time facing it after getting free from the ice. Shizuka came barreling down the ice with four wheels of fire in tow. It looked like he was the carriage with the wheels surrounding him like they were. Ino wasn't sure if he was traveling using the wheels or if it was just his feet sliding around on the ice but didn't care. She didn't want to get hit by this technique.

"Not so fast!" Kakashi blocked her path. "Fire Style, Fireball Jutsu!"

Even if she ducked, there would be no escape. She could only go left or right and hope the wheels didn't get her first. Ino threw herself to the side and avoided being burned. Shizuka turned and the wheels followed his movements. He stood still and, with a wave of his arms, sent the wheels forward towards Ino. She turned to the side but the wheels followed her no matter where she went. There was no escaping them.

Shikamaru saw her running in zigzags to avoid being hit but no matter where she went, the wheels followed her. They wouldn't stop until they hit something. "So I'll make them hit something." Shikamaru used his shadows to block the attack heading for Ino. The wheels hit the wall of shadows and bust into flame and smoke.

"Thanks, Shikamaru!"

That jutsu proved to be a little too much. Shikamaru lost his balance and fell to his knees, panting. He had been trying to catch the ninja with his shadows for the duration of this battle and it was starting to take a toll on him. "I knew it. I'm going to run out of chakra at this rate. I have to wait and make sure I can catch them before attempting it anytime I see one of them. If I keep doing that, I will run out."

He had to be conservative. He couldn't keep using his jutsu like this. He had to save it for when it really mattered.

Kakashi got ready to attack again. "That boy over there is weakening. Looks like he's used too much chakra in this fight. He'll be an easy target."

Before Kakashi could make his move, something hit him from the side and threw him behind the trees. He tumbled end over end until finally stopping. Kakashi stood up, rubbing his sore shoulder. Whatever hit him was powerful. It wasn't a simple push. It was something else. Something tough.

"You again."

Naruto was standing in front of him with a look of anger and pain on his face.

It didn't look like he had been injured in the attack so Kakashi had no idea where this pain was coming from.

"Kakashi-sensei..."

Again this boy called him by that name.

"Kakashi-sensei... It's me. Don't you know me?"

Kakashi frowned. "You're the one from the Leaf Village. The one who yanked my hood off near the gate."

Naruto nodded. At least Kakashi remembered that. "Yeah, that's right. So you do know me."

"In that sense, yes. Why the interest in me, boy?"

Boy?

So Kakashi did have amnesia.

"Kakashi-sensei, it's me! Naruto!"

Kakashi pulled out a kunai.

"Please! Kakashi-sensei! Come on! It's me! You know me!"

"Would you stop calling me that?" Kakashi snapped. "It's annoying."

"But, Kakashi-sensei-"

"I said to stop calling me that. You must have me confused with someone else or you have an annoying habit of using such a term."

He really didn't know him. He didn't remember.

This made Naruto's chest feel tight.

Everything. Everything from the eraser in the door, to stringing him up in a tree, to teaching him how to climb trees without using his hands. All the missions, the training, the free meals at Ichiraku's Ramen. Teaching him new jutsu, the kind words, the fun, the laughs, the struggles. Everything was gone.

Did Kakashi really not remember any of it?

Naruto could feel his eyes burning. He wanted to cry.

But he couldn't. Not yet.

Naruto swallowed his pain and decided to use it to knock some sense into his sensei. He would make him remember.

"If you want a fight, I'll gladly give it to you," said Kakashi.

He threw the kunai and Naruto deflected it with his own.

"Impressive. Let's see what else you got."

Even if Naruto couldn't beat some sense into Kakashi, maybe seeing his skills would bring back some memories. Sai and Neji both seemed to feel as if they had done certain things before when they actually did them. Hearing about something was far different from actually doing it hands-on. Kakashi could have been the same way. Perhaps fighting Naruto would make him at least feel like he had done this before.

It had to.

* * *

Shikamaru took cover behind a tree and watched the fight from a safe position. He had to come up with a plan. If they kept fighting like this, nothing was going to get done and they would run out of chakra. "Let's see. What do I have to work with? What do I know?"

Six enemies in total. Five where here and the sixth one was most likely on the other side of those trees fighting Yamato, Kiba and Akamaru. They outnumbered the one ninja but he could have had power that compensated for what he lacked. Yari could use an ice style jutsu and Shizuka could use the fire style. Kakashi was elsewhere at the moment but they already knew his abilities. Naruto was most likely fighting him at this moment. As far as the other two ninja were concerned, he had no idea what powers they possessed or the ninja fighting Yamato and the others.

Sakura was fighting Yari who was on the ground. Ino was offering support on the ground as well. Sai and Neji were both in a safe place, hopefully. Shikamaru was also on the ground. One of the two remaining ninja was hiding in the trees so he would most likely attack from above. The second ninja alternated between the ground and the trees and he had been able to avoid Shikamaru's jutsu all this while.

If Kakashi was off fighting Naruto and there was another ninja on the other side of the trees fighting three of their own, then that only left Sakura, Ino and Shikamaru to fight the four on this side. In that case, they were outnumbered. Sai and Neji could even the odds, but without the knowledge of battle, they wouldn't be able to offer much in this battle.

What to do? What to do?

Options, angles, positions, numbers. It all had to work out.

Three and four. Three and one. One and one. Two on the sidelines. Ground, trees, alternating. Three powers known, two unknown. One possibly known but not by the ones present. Limited chakra.

"I've got it."

* * *

Ino hide behind another tree as a huge fireball came at her from her opponent. She had an opening to use her jutsu but last night, the group discouraged her from using it after they had captured one of their enemies. If they were under Genjutsu, it might be difficult for her to use her jutsu without trouble. It was dangerous and risky. Without knowing what was wrong with Kakashi, all they had were guesses which made things very difficult. The enemy could have been in the same position. After all, the one ninja she got her hands on was strange. She couldn't describe it, but there was something wrong with him. He could have been like that normally, but she had her doubts. It was just too bizarre.

She could try using other methods that wouldn't effect the mind, but she had fewer of those in her arsenal and there was still a risk. If Choji had come along on the mission, they could use the Ino-Shika-Cho formation. She knew she couldn't always relay on them and would have to fight on her own. Normally she could, but with what they were facing at this moment, her abilities were too risky to use. They had no way of knowing if the enemy was under a jutsu spell or not. Something was going on but without knowing what it was, any move she made could be potentially dangerous. For her and the target.

"Don't hide from me, sweetie," came the voice of her opponent. "I thought you liked things hot."

Ino ducked as Shizuka's flaming fist came at her head. He blasted a hole in the tree trunk, but she was unharmed. She stumbled back into another tree and looked around for an escape route.

This was another perfect opportunity to use her jutsu but she was told not to take the risk. Should she do it anyway? If she took over this man's mind, she could infiltrate the enemy group and find out more. She could fool them into thinking she was one of them. Inside this man's body, they would have no way of knowing unless she did something to tip them off.

Maybe it was worth it. She had to try something, as risky as it was. It might end up doing harm to herself and her target but it was that or keep running like a frightened child. The dangers included scrambling the target's mind and her own, but that was a slim possibility. The other more likely possibility was for her to be caught in the same jutsu they were under, if they were. She could also be trapped in the enemy's body with no way out. Without knowing exactly what was wrong with them, any of these things could happen, but she was sick of running.

"Ino!" Shikamaru called out to her.

She was about to use her jutsu when she heard his voice. She turned her head slightly to one side, looking for him.

"Ino! Brick wall!"

That was code. He was telling her what to do without the enemy knowing what they were planning. "Oh!" She had another option after all. She didn't know why Shikamaru wanted her to use this justu, but he must have had a plan up his sleeve. "Earth Style Barrier!"

Shizuka jumped back when he saw the barrier form within close quarters of the trees. The barrier was small but enough to hide her body from sight.

Shizuka was unafraid. He thought of another way he could attack her. Shizuka smashed his fist through the top of the earth dome and got ready to unleash his next attack. "Fire Style, Flaming Inferno!" Shizuka unleashed a massive flamethrower into the opening. He intended to roast Ino alive while she was trapped within the barrier as if it were an oven.

After a minute of forcing fire into the opening, Shizuka ended the blaze and stepped back. He had used so much heat, the earth barrier had been hardened like clay in a kiln. With the right amount of pressure, he could kick the dome down and it would crumble like a broken statue.

Shizuka lifted his leg and kicked the dome. Just as he thought, it went down easily. However, Ino wasn't inside. "Where the hell did she go?" There was no hole in the ground so she didn't tunnel out. She must have fled as soon as the barrier went up, making him think she was inside when she had actually escaped into the woods. "Great. Now I have to chase her down- ah?!"

Shizuka's body wouldn't move. Something was holding him in place but he didn't feel anything wrapped around his body. No string or ropes or hands. His body was frozen to this spot.

"Looks like I managed in time."

Shizuka couldn't turn his head to see who was talking but he knew it was one of the Leaf ninja. "This is the same Shadow technique that got Suzume before."

"So Suzume is the name of one of your men, is it?" came Shikamaru's voice. "I'm slowly starting to figure you guys out. One of you is also named Yari, is that right? Then what's your name?"

"Like that matters," growled Shizuka. "I know you're stalling."

"You do, huh?" Shikamaru stepped into view. Shizuka stepped with him. "Then why don't we make this easy? Just tell me why you are attacking us and who your boss is and I'll let you go. He's one of you, isn't he?"

Shikamaru knew full well that the boss wasn't among them, but he hoped Shizuka would spill some important information while telling him how little he actually knew.

"Is it the one in the trees? He seems pretty tough and he's keeping out of the way. So is he the one? Is he the boss?"

Shizuka scoffed. "I know what you're doing and it's not going to work. There's no way I'm telling you who our boss is. Like we've got one anyway."

"Of course you do. I know you do."

"You think you know everything, don't you, Leaf ninja?" Shizuka scoffed again. "I can tell. I can tell you're running out of chakra. You're just wasting your time. Eventually, you're going to run out and then I'll be free. Once that happens, I'm going after you. Not very bright, are you?"

Shikamaru frowned. "Hopefully, by the time that happens, my friends will have taken care of your other guys. Without you to help in the fight, we have better odds. But I doubt you're the boss. You're not that strong. Or smart."

"Is egging me on the best idea you've got? It's certainly not the brightest, you moron."

Shikamaru's shadow began to tremble.

"I see. You're jutsu is just about spent, which means your time is just about up."

Shikamaru groaned and started to stumble. As he did, the jutsu was released and Shizuka was freed. "Oh, no. My chakra is..."

"It's over, isn't it?" Shizuka smirked. "See what I mean about you not using your jutsu right? You had one shot an you blew it."

Shikamaru hung his head in defeat.

"Farewell, shadow boy." Shizuka wove his hand signs.

Two seconds.

Shikamaru could feel the heat on the top of his head.

One second.

Shizuka unleashed his fire.

"Now!"

Ino jumped out of her hiding spot and shoved Shizuka's arm away from Shikamaru and into the trees.

Above, Supaisu felt heat coming at him from the side and looked in that direction. "Dammit!" Supaisu was forced to jump to another tree to avoid being burned. As soon as his foot landed on the branch, his body became still as stone. "Ah?! What the hell?!"

Shikamaru smirked. "Look at that. Seems I had a little left over after all."

Ino grinned at the sight.

Shikamaru's shadow had been waiting in the tree for Supaisu, knowing he would be driven closer to them by the fire attack. The light from the flame helped Shikamaru's jutsu work even more effectively. Because Supaisu was fleeing from the fire, it caused his shadow to be cast towards Shikamaru's. Like two hand reaching towards the other, they eventually met up and clasped together.

Not only had Shikamaru managed to capture the one hiding in the trees, but he had also managed to capture Shizuka for a second time as well while he was looking in the direction his attack had gone after being hit.

"Two down, two to go."

* * *

Please review! ^-^


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11:**

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

"Again with that? You're just a one-trick pony!"

One after another, Naruto's clones were all defeated and disappeared. Kakashi was just as tough as Naruto had always known. Defeating him would not be easy by any means.

Naruto sent out even more clones which Kakashi defeated as well. Naruto ran deeper into the woods and Kakashi followed. He sent more clones after him and Kakashi again defeated them. Kakashi seemed to be getting annoyed by this redundant attack. Growling, Kakashi charged at the original.

Naruto had been waiting for this. He was ready and waiting.

As soon as Kakashi was close enough, Naruto threw out his right arm with his attack already fully formed. "Rasengan!"

The unsuspecting Kakashi was blasted backwards and slammed into a tree. He slumped to the ground and looked up with a scowl. "So he can use it, too..." Kakashi was also capable of using the Resengan, but he wasn't expecting this boy to be able to use it. Maybe he wasn't a one-trick pony after all.

Naruto stood where he was, waiting for Kakashi to make his move.

Kakashi got to his feet and came at Naruto with his signature move. "Lightning Blade!"

Naruto stepped aside, having the attack graze his shoulder instead of his chest. He grabbed Kakashi's arm and forced it down. He brought his leg up and slammed his knee into Kakashi's spine. Kakashi took a kunai from his vest and drove it into Naruto's arm.

"Ahh!" Naruto didn't let go. He refused. Even with the kunai being driven deeper into his arm, he wouldn't let go of his sensei.

Kakashi pulled the kunai out and stabbed him again just below the elbow. Against his will, Naruto's grip went slack and Kakashi was freed. It was his body's reaction, not Naruto's. He physically could not hold on after the kunai struck his nerve. Kakashi pulled the kunai out and stabbed Naruto in the stomach.

He was trying to kill him.

This wasn't training.

He was actually trying to kill him.

Naruto pushed Kakashi backwards and the two sprang apart. Naruto examined the hole in his jacket and saw the blood. It wasn't deep enough to be fatal but it was a bad wound. Kakashi wasn't holding anything back.

"You wanted a fight, I'm giving you one." Kakashi came at him again, swinging the kunai.

Naruto ducked and punched Kakashi's wrist, forcing the kunai out of his hand. Kakashi drew another and stabbed Naruto's other arm from below. Naruto responded by kicking him in the stomach.

"Lightning Blade!"

The attack missed Naruto's head but hit his wounded arm. Naruto screamed in agony and was sent backwards. He skidded across the ground and landed on his back. Kakashi jumped through the air and landed on top of Naruto. He held the kunai over his head and brought it straight down. Naruto blocked with his injured arm, letting the kunai sink between his wrist and elbow. It caused him another injury to his already wounded arm but saved himself a fatal blow to the neck.

Naruto kicked his leg, his toes hitting the back of Kakashi's thigh. He then brought his leg around to the front and kicked Kakashi between the legs. Then another kick to the shin. Kakashi stumbled back but wasn't going down. Doubled over in pain, he threw the kunai in his hand at Naruto's chest. Naruto deflected it with his own kunai and jumped back to avoid Kakashi's next attack.

Kakashi used the Lightning Blade again but it missed and hit a tree instead. The tree fell over, shaking the earth as Naruto ran. Kakashi spun around and threw another kunai at Naruto. "You're more trouble than I thought you would be, boy."

Nothing about him other than his attacks were the same. Nothing about him was the Kakashi he knew. The smile, the sarcasm, the teasing banter, the whimsical, easygoing man was gone. In his eyes were nothing but malice and anger. Annoyance and confidence. No smile hidden beneath the mask. Just a scowl. The only time Kakashi smiled now was if it was an evil, wicked smile, relishing in his victory over who he thought were weak ninja. Or a cocky smile, confident that he was superior to those around him or just doing it to show off around his fellow ninja in a group Naruto knew nothing about.

They all had that same smile. That cocky, wicked smile. That twisted smirk just before they engaged in battle and tormented those they were sent to defeat. People Kakashi had once fought alongside were now nothing but trash in his eyes. They were people who needed to be dealt with and the rest of Kakashi's group seemed to have a mutual notion. They all had the same attitude and concept. They all wanted to defeat the Leaf and Kakashi was following their every move with the same ideals.

"What the hell did they do to you?!" Naruto bellowed.

Kakashi would never follow such people. He would never be a part of such a group.

Why? Why?!

Kakashi threw his kunai at Naruto and missed. Naruto pulled the kunai out of the tree and threw it back. Naruto stepped to the side and summoned up more clones. Kakashi plowed through them all to get to the original but he had disappeared.

"Why the hell are you doing this?!" Naruto's cry came from above. "Why are you like this?!"

Kakashi took a step back to brace himself. Naruto's foot came down on Kakashi's arm as he blocked the attack from above. Kakashi grabbed Naruto's ankle and threw him into a tree. Naruto threw out his arms and pushed himself away from the tree and back towards Kakashi. Their blades clashed, sending sparks into the air.

Those blue eyes full of passion. Kakashi met them with his one visible eye but there was no recollection. He didn't know this person.

Kakashi pushed Naruto back and started to form more hand signs. Naruto sent more clones at him. Grabbing his arms, the clones held Kakashi down with their full weight. Naruto landed in front of him but did not attack. Only stared at him. His breathing was uneven and the look on his face was pained. He looked like he was about to start crying but he also looked furious, like he was about to attack.

"Are you going to finish me off or what?" Kakashi asked him. "You have an opening. Why don't you take it?"

Naruto refused.

Did this boy know Kakashi was planing on attacking the second he got close? No. This boy just didn't have it in him. He wasn't ruthless, unlike him. Kakashi would do whatever it took to win. He would not be defeated this easily.

"Look at me," Naruto begged. "Look at me!"

Kakashi looked at him. At that face covered in sweat and blood. At the boy panting and staring back at him with pleading eyes.

"Tell me," Naruto said softly. "Tell me... Look at my face and say you don't know me."

Something had to be familiar to him. His face, his eyes, his hair, his clothes, his voice. Anything. Kakashi had to recall something.

He didn't know him. He truly did not know.

It wasn't an act. He didn't know who this person was.

"Please... Just tell me you know me. You have to."

It couldn't all be gone. His sensei was standing in front of him but it wasn't him. His body but not him.

Where was his Kakashi-sensei? Where was the man who taught him so much? Who protected him? Who encouraged him and looked after him even when he didn't know he was? Where was his friend? Where was his sensei?

"I'll tell you what I do know," Kakashi said slowly.

Naruto hoped he would say something encouraging. Maybe he did remember something.

"I know that you..." Kakashi lifted his gaze. "... are a dead man."

"Ah?!"

Kakashi broke free of the clones and thrust a kunai into Naruto's chest. Kakashi smirked.

Naruto vanished.

"That one was a clone, too?!"

Kakashi heard wind rushing from behind him but couldn't turn around in time. "Rasengan!" He was thrown forward into a tree and fell over.

Naruto stood over him, hoping that was enough to knock him unconscious. He didn't want to fight him anymore. Not when he was like this.

"Little brat!" Kakashi grabbed his ankle. "I'll rip you in half if I have to!"

Naruto kicked Kakashi in the face with his other leg but it wasn't enough to make him let go. Kakashi dragged him down and got ready to stab him with his weapon. Naruto blocked with his hands and forced the kunai down. They wrestled on the ground, rolling over each other, kicking and scratching. Neither was about to give up.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" More clones had come to help. They piled on top of Kakashi while pulling Naruto to safety.

"Lightning Blade!" Every last clone vanished and Kakashi went after the only Naruto left. He threw his hand forward at the same time Naruto threw his attack into Kakashi's.

"Rasengan!"

A massive explosion was the result. Both were sent backwards and disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

* * *

Hebi felt the ground shake and looked off in the direction of the sudden gust of wind. The wind was so powerful, he had to adjust his stance to brace himself. "What the hell? Was that Kakashi? Or was that Suzume?"

The wind caused the vines to sway and the people they were restraining. Neji dangled from both arms and wondered if there was any way out of this. The others were wondering the same.

"I hope they're not overdoing it. Or maybe these Leaf ninja are better than we thought."

Yamato tried to speak but the vines prevented him from doing so.

Hebi saw Yamato struggling and smirked. "Don't worry. I won't kill you yet. I want every single ninja you've come with to see my good work before that happens." He looked off in the direction of the fight waging on in the distance. "Perhaps I should capture them as well and speed things up a little."

* * *

At the same time, Shikamaru's mind was working frantically to end this battle. He had very little chakra left and he wouldn't be able to restrain these two ninja for much longer. He had to put the rest of his plan into action quickly.

As long as time allowed it, it would work.

Sakura jumped back, trying to get off the ice now that she knew Yari could come at her from any surface it covered. If she was on solid ground, he wouldn't be able to surface from under or behind her as he had been doing.

"I can freeze anything," Yari told her. She could see him swimming around in the ice like a fish. "Anything I freeze, I can use. You think you can escape from me? Think again. I'll freeze the ground and the trees and everything. There will be no escape for you. You might as well give up."

"Freeze anything, huh?" Sakura slammed her fist straight down into the ice. The ice cracked and splintered. "What if I break the ice you're using? What will happen to you if I break it while you're using it to travel?"

"Breaking it won't matter."

"I suppose. But I bet melting it is a different story."

Yari did not answer.

Sakura smirked. "Our friend here knows that one of you can use fire, so I figured we could use him to defeat you."

Shikamaru stepped forward and Shizuka followed.

"All he has to do is use the same hand signs and it's all over for you."

Shikamaru held up his hands and Shizuka mimicked his actions. He started to form the same signs he had seen Shizuka use in battle.

Yari quickly jumped from the ice and stood in the open air with a startled look on his face.

"Just kidding. Cha!"

"Augh!" Yari was sent into the fallen trees with only the whites of his eyes showing.

Shikamaru smirked. It was true that he could force them to mimic the same hand signs but he couldn't force them to focus their chakra for the jutsu. Therefore, he could not force them to use their jutsu unless they willingly focused their chakra for the technique. The jutsu mimicked actions, but not anything internal. Shikamaru knew this but he figured the enemy did not.

Shikamaru's shadow began to quiver and shake. He was running out of time. He couldn't keep this up for much longer. He looked up into the tree to make sure Supaisu was still there and hadn't walked off the branch when he forced Shizuka to move. Thankfully he was still there, having walked the length of the branch rather than off it.

"I think I'm at my limit here, guys," Shikamaru warned them. Aside from the two had had, the one on the other side of the blockage, Kakashi and the one Sakura defeated, there was still one left.

The shadow trembled and returned to Shikamaru. He couldn't do it anymore.

The two were freed and able to get their revenge.

"Fire St- Ahh!" Sakura cut him off before he could finish. Her punch sent him flying but it wasn't enough to stop him.

"You think you can use that jutsu on me and get away with it?" came the voice of the ninja in the tree. "Think again. Time for me to show you what I can do."

Shikamaru was feeling shaky. He wouldn't be able to stand up without stumbling. The enemy knew he was weak and was going to take full advantage of that. Shikamaru hung his head and waited for the enemy to attack.

Supaisu drew a long sword from his belt and held it over Shikamaru's head. "I'll cut off your head and show it to the people at your village. Won't that be a sight?" He started to laugh at the very idea. He was as ruthless as Shikamaru thought.

His eyes drifted to the ninja fighting Sakura. They were at the wrong angle. Just a little further...

Supaisu brought the sword down.

Shikamaru quickly jumped back and the sword stuck in the ground where he had been kneeling. He pulled a kunai from his belt and got ready to throw it.

Before he could strike, Shikamaru found himself thrown into the air. He hung upside-down with the kunai still in his hand.

It was a powerful wind.

"So that's what he can do." Shikamaru saw the one responsible but it wasn't Supaisu.

It was Suzume.

"Were you wondering where I had gone?" Suzume asked. "I was just looking for your little friend here." He held Ino by her neck.

Shikamaru couldn't do anything to help her from this position.

"Want to take her place or would you rather watch her die? Your choice."

The wind died down and Shikamaru fell face-first into the ground.

"Pick," Suzume told him.

Shikamaru's eyes darted to his left where Yari lay against a fallen tree trunk. His eyes then went to his right where Sakura was fighting. It was a risk, but he was willing to try it.

Shikamaru got to his feet and ran to his left.

"If you flee, the girl dies!" Suzume called after him. Then he realized Shikamaru wasn't running away. He was running to Yari. "Hey!"

Shikamaru stood over Yari's body and put the kunai to his neck. "Let her go or your friend here gets it."

Suzume scoffed. "Go right ahead. Not my life."

Supaisu threw a pebble at his head. "Idiot! What would the boss say if he knew you were willing to let one of us get killed before actually going into the Leaf Village? Or worse. What would he do?"

Suzume gulped. "Oh... Right..." He sighed. "I guess we have to save him."

At the same time, Sakura was in perfect alignment with the fallen trees. Shizuka didn't notice this when he unleashed his fire straight at her. Sakura jumped into the trees and watched as the fire went straight for Shikamaru. Shikamaru saw this as well and jumped to the top of the pile. Now the fire's only target was Yari.

The others saw this and gasped. "No!"

Suzume sent a gust of wind after the fire, not to blow it out, but to send it upward towards Shikamaru. The fire's course was changed and it went over the pile towards its new target. Shikamaru jumped to the other side of the pile, escaping.

"Aw, crap." Suzume knew Hebi wouldn't be happy about getting an unexpected opponent over to his side.

"What the hell?" Hebi yelled, seeing Shikamaru jump down from the fallen trees. "What the hell are they doing over there?"

The fire Suzume had sent upward went into the branches and started a blaze. Kiba hoped the fire would be able to burn the vines binding them but the fire was too far away.

Within seconds, Shikamaru read the situation and had come to the same conclusion. He had to take care of those vines. The fire wouldn't reach and he doubted the rest of the group would leap over the pile of fallen trees to help. Nor did he want them to. If they did, they would most likely get captured as well. The fire style-user wouldn't be so easily tricked this time and the wind style-user would either fan the flames in a different direction or blow them out entirely.

If fire wouldn't work, then the only other option was cutting them.

He could use his Shadow Stitching but his chakra was extremely low. He would only get one shot.

"You." Hebi rounded on Shikamaru. "Plant Style-"

Shikamaru dove out of the way and hid behind a bush, knowing what was coming. "That has to be the same jutsu he used to trap the others. I can't let it hit me. As long as I keep moving, I can avoid it."

"Quit running, Leaf ninja!" Hebi tried again and Shikamaru ran.

Neji watched Shikamaru run directly under him and behind another tree. Would he rescue him? Would Shikamaru get caught in the same trap? So many questions entered his mind and just as quickly faded away. Part of him wanted to be saved but another part wanted to get out of this himself. He didn't want to have to depend on them for everything. Neji could see now why everyone had to be strong and be able to fight on their own. With so many of them captured, it was clear that no one had the time to rescue them with the enemy trapping everyone so quickly. The enemy had to be dealt with first before a rescue was even possible.

He had to get out of this himself. Neji looked up at his wrists. They were the only part of his body that was covered in vines. His legs and torso were still free. If he could somehow reach his hands, he could find a way to free himself. But how? Neji tried to think.

Surely he could come up with something. These people he called friends all told him how intelligent he was and how strong. Neji was also discovering how strong he was.

That's it! He was stronger than he realized. Strength. That's how he could do it.

Neji bent his elbows and tried to pull himself up using only the strength in his arms. It was working. He was strong. He managed to pull himself up so his teeth were aligned with his wrists. Neji began to bite at the vines, hoping to chew his way out of this trap.

The vines were so thick, he might as well have been chewing through leather ropes. The vines left a foul taste in his mouth and oozed juice which dripped down his arms and chin. Neji ignored the unpleasantness and kept going. He had to.

"Quit running, I told you!" Hebi yelled, still chasing Shikamaru with his eyes. With the other ninja trapped, he knew he couldn't take his eyes off this one and let him capture his back. He knew Shikamaru was trying to free his comrades. If Hebi lost sight of him, he could succeed. Hebi had to capture him.

The vine holding Neji's wrist snapped and his body jerked slightly. There was one vine to go. He bit down on it and ripped it to shreds. The last remaining vine snapped and Neji began to fall. Neji threw out his arm still holding the kunai and plunged it into the tree trunk, stopping his fall. He wrapped his arms around the trunk and climbed his way back up to where Kiba and Akamaru were dangling. As long as Shikamaru kept Hebi distracted, he could succeed this time. Neji began to cut away at the vines again, hoping this time it would work.

"Plant Style, Plantation Prison!" Once again, Shikamaru dodged his attack. "This little twerp is starting to get on my nerves. Plant Style, Plantation Prison!"

Shikamaru ran deeper into the trees, hoping to draw Hebi closer. Shikamaru was also trying to figure out the extent of his jutsu and find a weak spot. Obviously he could use a plant style jutsu, but did this mean he could create plants, control the ones around him or both? Shikamaru had to figure that out before he launched any sort of attack. It was possible that Hebi caused those trees to fall but he couldn't be sure. It could have been a combined attack or one of his comrades could have done it. Shikamaru didn't want a tree coming to life and crushing him on Hebi's command so he had to be aware of everything around him.

"If that is how his jutsu works, then I'm in a bad position, running around in the woods like this. He could use anything around me to attack." Only he wasn't. He kept trying to use those vines he produced from the ground and trees. Maybe he could only create the plants that had imprisoned his friends. Or Shikamaru's guess was off and Hebi actually could manipulate the plants around him but simply chose not to do it at the moment. Shikamaru couldn't make assumptions. Not about limitations, at least. He had to assume anything was possible.

"That's it. I am so sick of this." Hebi made a new hand sign. "Plant Style, Botanist Bombardment!"

Shikamaru waited for the vines to come after him but they didn't. Instead came a massive explosion. Shikamaru was thrown out of his hiding spot and in front of Hebi. Shikamaru didn't clearly see what had happened but he could have sworn the explosion came from a bunch of flowers.

"There you are," Hebi hissed.

Shikamaru tried to get up but his leg wouldn't move. He looked back and saw that it had been badly burned in the explosion. He was only guessing, but his nerves might had been damaged which was why he was having a hard time getting up.

Hebi stood over him with a sadistic smirk on his face. "Looks like I've caught you. Anything you have to say before I finish you off?"

Shikamaru looked from left to right, then back at Hebi. He made his attack. "Shadow Stitching!"

Hebi jumped into the air to avoid his shadow. "I saw that trick before and there's no way I'm going to get caught in it. I'm not ending up frozen to the spot."

"Wrong jutsu," Shikamaru told him.

Hebi frowned. He was using shadows but they must have been versatile. What could this one do?

There was a loud snapping sound followed by a thud. Hebi turned around and saw that Yamato had been freed by the shadows. They had become sharp blades which snapped the vines imprisoning the older ninja. Now he was free.

"Payback time, plant-guy!"

Hebi turned around and saw Kiba and Akamaru standing beside Neji who still held the kunai. Hebi took a step back but there was no place to run. He was surrounded. He could trap them again but his chakra was starting to get low as well after chasing Shikamaru all over the woods. He shouldn't have used his jutsu so much. He should have waited until he had a clear shot. Now he was in a tight spot.

Wood began to wrap around his ankles and crept higher up his body until only his head was showing. Now he was the one caught in a trap.

* * *

Suzume, Supaisu and Shizuka looked at the two girls they were still fighting. Ino had managed to get free while the enemy watched Shikamaru escape over the wall of trees, but they didn't seem to mind. They looked at the girls, knowing they had them outnumbered but no one attacked.

"What do you think?" asked Supaisu.

"Finish them off? We could."

"It would be easy enough. What about Hebi? Something tells me he's in a fix."

"And he's outnumbered."

Shizuka looked from Ino to Sakura, thinking. "I could go over there to help him out while you take care of them."

"You? The fire-user? Get real."

Plants and fire did not go well together.

"Are you guys forgetting Yari? What about him?"

"Just stab him and see if he wakes up. If not, kick him until he does."

Supaisu frowned, looking at the girls. "Our orders were to kill them if we had an opening, but it wasn't a must. We've seen their powers. I'm thinking we should report back before we do anything else."

"And they still haven't seen what you can do so that's a plus on our side."

Supaisu had made his decision. "Retreat for now."

"You sure?"

"Retreat. I know what to do from here."

The other two nodded and turned to the girls. Shizuka threw a ball of fire at them and as the girls jumped back, he and the others left the scene. Suzume grabbed Yari and threw him over his shoulder as they fled.

Shizuka blasted the wood confining Hebi and grabbed him. Before the Leaf ninja could attack, the group split off in different directions.

As they were leaving, Shizuka looked back, wondering what happened to Kakashi.

* * *

Another tree fell as a result of the fierce battle.

Kakashi landed on a tree trunk and pushed himself off with both feet, launching himself into Naruto's chest. "Hyah!" He threw Naruto backwards, a kunai stuck in his gut. Naruto pulled it out and threw it back at Kakashi, cutting his left arm.

"Rasengan!" Naruto pushed off on the tree he was sailing towards and flew back the way he came towards Kakashi.

Kakashi grabbed Naruto's arm and forced it back before it could reach him. The two sprang apart and ran at each other from a distance. Blades clashed and fists were thrown. Clone after clone popped and blood was shed. Kakashi threw another punch at Naruto's face but it turned out to be another clone.

The ground beneath Kakashi rumbled and Naruto came leaping out of the earth with his fist held high. His fist made contact with Kakashi's jaw and he was thrown into the air. Naruto jumped straight up, following him. Naruto hovered over Kakashi for a moment, then slammed his leg into Kakashi's stomach, driving him back down to earth. Kakashi hit the ground so hard, his body left a human-shaped hole in the ground.

Kakashi climbed out of the hole and crawled a short distance before looking up at Naruto. "I have to admit I'm a little impressed."

He really was. He almost hated to admit that he was impressed with Naruto's skills. Even that last attack was something to be proud of. It reminded Kakashi of his own technique.

Kakashi quickly stood and threw another punch at Naruto. He stepped to the side and punched Kakashi in the stomach. Kakashi returned the attack with something extra to make sure Naruto didn't swing again. "Lightning Blade!"

Naruto grabbed Kakashi's arm and turned the attack back on him. Kakashi's one visible eye went wide. It was not only impressive but now Kakashi had to make a split-second decision. Either call off the jutsu or take the hit himself.

Kakashi willingly ended the jutsu and let his hand return to normal as it slammed into his chest. Naruto's full weight went into the attack and they both were thrown into a tree. Naruto landed on top of Kakashi which the masked ninja didn't seem to fond of. He grabbed Naruto by the hair and slammed his face into the tree trunk. Naruto punched Kakashi in the face before he could be slammed into the tree again and the two broke apart.

Naruto summoned up two clones which flung him towards Kakashi. Kakashi didn't duck or run. He met Naruto head-on and his fist collided with Naruto's shoulder, knocking him off course. Kakashi spun around and kicked Naruto in the spine. A clone jumped down from above and wrapped itself around Kakashi's shoulders and head giving the real Naruto time to recover. Kakashi tossed several shuriken even though he couldn't see where he was aiming. By the time he defeated the clone, Naruto's attack was already on target and mere inches away.

"Rasengan!"

Kakashi turned his body to one side and took the hit just below the shoulder. He was sent flying to the side and skipped like a stone across the ground. Kakashi hunched over, wincing. That last attack had hit one of the marks he had gotten from his boss when he got whipped earlier. His back was stinging.

He used the pain to fuel his next attack. He took a scroll from his belt and drew from it a long chain. He tucked the scroll away and went after Naruto with his new weapon.

Naruto sent several more clones after Kakashi and joined in the charge. Kakashi swung the chain like a long whip and sent many clones away. He wrapped the chain around Naruto's neck and pulled him forward. Naruto stuck out both legs and planted them in Kakashi's stomach. His legs pressed into Kakashi's body, Naruto leaning back away from Kakashi with the chain still wrapped around his neck. Naruto then kicked Kakashi in the face and wound the chain around Kakashi's arm. He then jumped down, uncoiled the chain from his neck and ran around Kakashi so the chain would bind his arm to his body.

Rather than be caught, Kakashi followed Naruto so they chased each other in a full circle. Naruto kept running and so did Kakashi. Kakashi freed his arm from the chain and used it against Naruto. The chain wrapped around Naruto's ankle and Kakashi pulled it tight, no longer running.

Naruto's body kept going, not yet realizing the chain was wrapped around his ankle. When Kakashi pulled it tight, Naruto's leg was yanked back and his body fell forward. "Ah!" Naruto's head slammed into a tree root and his body went limp.

"Finally," Kakashi grumbled, dropping the chain which vanished instantly.

He stepped over to Naruto and bent down. He put his hand on Naruto's shoulder and rolled him onto his back.

"You put up one hell of a fight, kid. I have to give you that much." Kakashi drew a kunai from his belt. "But it's all over now."

Naruto lay on his back unconscious as the kunai moved closer to his neck. The blade caught the light peeking through the tree branches and shone like a precious jewel.

Kakashi raised the deadly weapon high, ready to plunge it straight down.

The tip was pointed directly at Naruto who lay helpless on the ground.

Kakashi's arm hung in the air.

He frowned.

For some reason, his arm wouldn't move.

There he lay. The boy from the Leaf. The one who had been giving him such a hard time. The one with impressive skills and determination. There he was, covered in blood and sweat, his jacket torn slightly in places and covered in dirt. His ruffled blond hair and the thin whiskers on his cheeks, his headband slightly askew.

Why wouldn't his hand move? Why couldn't he do it?

Kakashi crouched over Naruto's body, his kunai frozen in the air.

It would have been so easy. The boy was helpless. They were alone.

His arm wouldn't move.

All he could do was stare at him. Only stare.

Kakashi blinked and looked over his shoulder. The rest of his team was in retreat. He had to leave as well. He had to follow them.

Kakashi gave the boy one final look then put the kunai away and left.

* * *

Thoughts?

Please review! ^-^


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12:**

"Is everyone alright?" asked Yamato.

Sakura was looking over Shikamaru when she answered. "I'm alright. Shikamaru seems to be doing ok. There's some damage to his right leg but other than that all he needs is rest."

Yamato look around. "Where is Sai? Neji, he was with you, wasn't he?"

Neji flinched. "He was, but..."

"But what?"

"But when I saw you guys in trouble, I told him I wanted to help. He started to follow me, then he said he would stay behind. I went to help you on my own."

"So he was left alone?"

"... Sorry."

Ino looked around with concern. "He could have been captured by the enemy."

"And where is Naruto? What happened to him?" asked Kiba.

"I'm pretty sure he went after Kakashi," answered Shikamaru. "We should look for him."

Sakura switched places with Ino and went off to search for her teammate. She knew Naruto had to be fighting Kakashi. For him, it was personal. She knew how he felt. Seeing her sensei fighting alongside with the enemy was difficult to swallow and they still had no idea why he was doing this.

Sakura gripped her arm and went deeper into the woods.

In the thicket, she found him laying on his back, alone. "Naruto!" She hurried over to see if he was still breathing. Naruto was still alive but he was wounded in several areas. Sakura immediately started treatment.

Naruto moaned, turning his head slightly to one side. "Sakura..?"

"Don't move. I have to heal this right away."

Against her orders, Naruto sat straight up. "Where's Kakashi-sensei?"

"I said don't move!" Sakura then grew sad and said softly, "I don't know. When I got here, all I saw was you. He must have left with the rest of the group. They all ran off after the fight."

Naruto lowered his head without a word.

"Have you seen Sai? We're looking for him."

"Is he hurt?"

"We don't know."

Naruto started to stand up, his mind now on Sai. "I didn't see him. We have to look for him. He could be lost and scared somewhere."

"Let me heal you first. These are deep cuts on your arms."

"I'm fine. I heal fast."

"You're not fine and I don't care how fast you heal! You're hurt!"

The compromise was for Naruto to search for Sai while Sakura healed Naruto on the move. It was difficult for her to do it this way but still possible. The group joined them in the search.

Eventually, they found Sai hiding behind a tree with his knees tucked to his chest. When Naruto called out to him, he jumped. As soon as he saw who it was, tears started to roll down his cheeks.

"Hey..." Sakura said gently. "Hey... What's wrong? Are you ok?"

Sai sniffled. "No... Not really..."

"What's the matter? What's wrong?" Sakura spoke to him as if he were a frightened child.

Sai sniffled and looked at her and Naruto with teary eyes. "When the fight happened, Neji and I ran off into the woods like you told us to do. But when he saw you guys in trouble, he said he wanted to help. I tried to follow him but when I saw more of the fights going on, I got scared and told him I wanted to stay behind and hide."

"I see. So you got scared." Sakura had a feeling seeing such an intense battle would be shocking to someone like Sai who was actually pretty docile. Hand-to-hand combat was one thing, but seeing powerful jutsu being unleashed like that must have been pretty frightening. Even Sakura felt a little intimidated by some of the jutsu she witnessed.

Sai sniffled again. "Yeah. I got scared."

"I see. So that's why you're crying."

He shook his head. "No. That's not why I'm crying."

Sakura was a little surprised by his response. "Oh? Then why?"

Sai sniffled again and another tear rolled down his face. "Because Neji... He wanted to help and he went in to help fight and I stayed behind. I got scared. I didn't know what to do."

Ino and Yamato spotted Sai and were about to call out to them when Sakura put a finger to her lips. They stood where they were and listened.

"I don't get it," Sakura said quietly. "Why are you crying? You said it wasn't because you were scared. Then why?"

"Because..." Sai almost started crying all over again. "Because I want to help fight and I can't!"

Sakura didn't know what to say.

"Yes, I'm scared and that's only a part of why I feel so bad. I'm not crying because I'm scared. It's because I saw what they could do and even though I'm scared, I still want to fight only I can't. I don't remember how! Naruto showed me some moves but I can see that it isn't enough. Not against people who can do those things. He told me I could do it before but I don't remember how and he said he can't teach me because it's something only I know how to do. And... And... And I can't remember how no matter how hard I try!"

Sai wept into his knees while the others watched in silence.

"I want to fight like myself again. I want to be me again. I can tell this isn't how I normally am because of the way you're all looking at me. I can tell... But I don't know what I'm supposed to do or who I'm supposed to be." Sai wiped his tears again. "When Naruto told me I had done something I normally do without thinking about it, I got so happy. I felt like I was a little bit of who I really am because I had done something normal without thinking about it. Without wondering if it was something I would do or anything like that."

Sai really, truly wanted to know who he was and be himself again.

"I'm crying because I want to know how I was before and how to fight like my normal self. I know I can do things because of what you guys have told me... But if I don't remember..."

He was crying from the despair of not knowing who he really was when it mattered most. Of knowing he was capable of helping them fight but being unable to recall any of it. Of wanting to help and being unable to do so in order to help his friends. Of knowing he was scared and not knowing how he normally handled it. There was so much he wanted to know and so much he knew he could do but had no idea what it was or how he did it. It was the stress that was causing him to cry. He wanted to help them but knew he would only get in the way in his current condition.

Sakura knew Sai didn't remember any of his ninja training. If he had, he wouldn't be crying like this. One of the things they were taught was how to not show emotion and to not let it interfere with the mission at hand. Sakura knew herself how difficult it was not to show emotion. It was almost impossible, for some more than others. Seeing Sai crying right now proved to her that he truly didn't remember any of his training. In a way, she was glad to see Sai show some shred of human emotion. Now she could see how he was truly feeling inside.

He was sad so he was crying. It was a good way to vent. Tears could actually be very cleansing. However, Sakura didn't want to see him cry like this. She wanted him to remember who he was, too. Even Sai, without his memories, knew this wasn't who he really was. He wanted to feel like himself again.

* * *

"Excellent work," said their boss, Seigi. "Testing their abilities is going quite well. But I think we've seen about enough. So far, there's no one worth keeping alive."

As a collector or rare jutsu, Seigi would often test a ninja's ability before killing them, just in case he had use of them. Every ninja who served him so far had rare or unique abilities which he highly prized.

"There was one man who possessed a rare type of jutsu," said Hebi. "He could use the wood-style. I have never seen it before and thought you might be interested to know of his jutsu."

"I have to say, that is interesting, but I'm not sure I want such a ninja. I would like to know more of his powers, but if he produces nothing special other than what you've seen, waste him."

"Yes, sir."

"Boss, sir," said Suzume. "There was a female who did not display much power. Either she is weak or she is holding back. A girl with long blond hair. And there are these two boys. Whenever a battle ensues, they run and hide, but they're clearly ninja."

Seigi sat back in his chair, thoughtfully. "Hmm. That is interesting. If they are indeed ninja, then they should be fighting. What else can you tell me about them?"

"The group seems to be protective of them. We have not yet seen what they can do. Their powers are unknown."

"Hm. That's something worth looking into," said Seigi. "If they are weak, why would they have brought along on such a mission, knowing what they were getting into? They might be protecting them because they're weak, but that might not be the case. They might be holding back their powers and need this group to look after them."

"What should we do with them, boss? If they possess great power, should we keep them alive and bring them to you? Or should we get rid of them along with the others?"

Seigi gave his hand a small wave and crossed his legs. "If you have an opening, kill them both. I see no reason to keep them alive if they refuse to show their power. They might refuse if you brought them back here to me. And they might not be very strong at all. If that's the case, then what's the point? I see no reason to keep them alive."

The ninja nodded. "Consider it done, sir."

"Excellent. Resume the attack at dawn. Take them down. But feel free to have some fun as well. Chances are the Leaf will send stronger ninja after them so you'll need to be more cautious with the next group the send. These ones are weak compared to those who will follow. I doubt the Leaf would send its strongest first on such a mission."

The group was dismissed and they all went down the long corridor together. They did not want to mention to their boss that these ninja was actually pretty strong. Not because they were afraid of getting a beating but because their boss already knew. He must have been aware that these ninja were no pushovers but wanted them to take down these ninja without complaining like a bunch of children. This was to toughen them up and prepare them for things to come.

"Next time, don't let your guard down, Yari."

"I did not-"

"Yeah, right! Could have fooled me with your eyes rolling back in your head like that. You were knocked out."

"Couldn't even take on a couple of girls."

Yari grabbed one of his teammates and pinned him against the wall. "Want to run that by me again? Huh?!"

"Take it easy, man!"

"Don't tell me to take it easy! You're all ganging up on me like I'm the loser. Where was Kakashi during all this? He ran off in the middle of the fight."

"But look at his clothes, man. He's covered in blood and everything else. Clearly he was fighting somebody. He didn't do that to himself."

"They were short a couple of ninja so Kakashi must have been fighting them."

"True. And it's not like Kakashi to run off and leave us to do all the work ourselves. He always wants in on it."

While they talked, Kakashi remained silent.

"Ah, who cares? I'm getting a snack and going to bed."

"Me, too."

"I'm skipping that and going to bed."

"Same here. 'Night."

Kakashi hung back and watched the group walk away from him. He turned and started to walk down a different hallway towards his bedroom.

"Kakashi?"

He looked up.

"Doing ok?" asked Shizuka.

Kakashi sighed. "It's fine."

"Are you?" When Kakashi didn't answer, he pressed a little harder. "Tell me, Kakashi. What's wrong?"

Kakashi clenched his fists. "It's... that boy."

"Boy? Oh, the one with blond hair you mentioned before? What about him?"

Kakashi lost his temper and snapped, "I had him! We fought in the woods and he went down. I had him and I didn't do him in!"

Shizuka didn't judge or criticize. He listened.

"He was on the ground ad I had the weapon in my hand, but I..." Kakashi growled at himself. "I didn't kill him. I could have but I didn't."

He was so upset with himself. He would never hesitate. He could always do it before. Nothing ever stopped him except for a direct order from his boss.

"I don't understand why I didn't do it. Why did I stop?"

Kakashi felt like grabbing his boss's whip and lashing out at whatever stopped him. He wanted to turn that weapon on himself and teach himself a lesson. He was so angry, he seriously considered doing just that. He wanted to beat that weakness out of himself. He was so ashamed and angry.

"Am I going soft?" he asked himself aloud.

"You? Ha!" Shizuka snorted. "Please. You're not going soft. Not you."

"Then why didn't I do it? Why didn't I kill that boy? Why did I stop?"

Shizuka saw the rage and self-loathing in Kakashi's eye. He was truly upset. More upset than Shizuka had ever seen him be before.

"Kakashi... I don't think you're getting soft. Far from it. You probably didn't go through with it because the kid couldn't fight back. It was too easy. If I know anything about you, you like a challenge. A boy laying on the group unable to move is not a challenge. That's why you stopped."

He hadn't considered that. Kakashi thought he had a moment of weakness, but it was actually pride that stopped him. He couldn't kill someone who couldn't fight back. He wanted a real fight and a real victory. Killing a boy on his back with his eyes never seeing it coming was too easy. It was a disgrace. The others might even make fun of him for it, but that wasn't want matter most to Kakashi. It was his own pride. If he was going to kill anyone, he wanted them to see it coming.

He felt better now. He wasn't getting soft. It was just pride.

Shizuka put a hand on Kakashi's shoulder. "Feeling better... Crybaby Kakashi?"

Kakashi punched him.

* * *

Yamato lowered Shikamaru to the ground, carrying him inside the wooden fortress he created. Shikamaru still needed to heal from his injuries, but it was his chakra that he was more worried about. He had used so much it would take a while for him to recover. He knew he had used his jutsu too much, but he didn't want to use it once or twice and hope he got lucky. He wanted to capture the enemy but now they were wise to his technique so he had to be careful and come up with a new strategy.

"They fled again," said Sakura as the group sat down to rest. "You think it's because they had been weakened or was it because they had gathered enough information to bring back to their boss? Shikamaru already said that these guys were testing our abilities and learning what we could do so they could counter it. Now that they know what we can do..."

"We also have to worry about Sai and Neji. The enemy seems to be aware that they're not fighting at the same level as an experienced ninja and that we've been protecting them," said Yamato. "I'm concerned that the enemy will either see them as easy targets or that they're holding back great power they don't want the enemy to see. In either case, the enemy is going to target them first."

"Yeah..." Sakura looked over at Sai who kept his back to everyone. He was laying curled up on the floor. He seemed embarrassed about letting the group see him cry openly like that, but also ashamed at his own weakness. Sakura felt sorry for him.

Sai knew he wasn't who he was before and wanted to be.

Sai just wasn't Sai without his memories.

"We need a new plan. We have to find their hideout as quickly as possible, but those who would have made doing that a lot easier are... well..." Yamato glanced over at Neji and Sai.

Neji's Byakugan would have made it a breeze and Sai could have used his drawings to search high and low for the hideout. Neither of them could do that now so they had to rely solely on Kiba and Akamaru, but tracking down a hideout by scent alone would not be easy. They were tracking Kakashi's scent but if Kakashi wasn't at the hideout, then the plan would not work the way they wanted it to.

For several long minutes, they brainstormed new ideas and theories. They had to come up with a new plan and a plan if the first one didn't work out and then another plan after that.

While they talked, Sai looked at the books he had brought with him on this adventure. Though he read every word, he did not retain any of the information. He just couldn't focus.

Then he found another book. The one Naruto rescued for him during one of the attacks. Naruto said this was Sai's picture book and it meant a lot to him. Sai didn't know why, but he wanted to find out. He picked up the book and opened it to the first page.

On that page was a drawing that looked a lot like him facing a large beast with a weapon. Sai turned the page and saw another drawing of himself facing a different beast, but in this drawing, he was carrying the weapon the previous beast had carried. The next page was the same and the one after that. He kept getting upgrades each time he faced a new foe. He flipped to the last page but he wasn't in this picture. Someone else was facing a different beast. The page before that one had the same different person facing a new foe with the previous foe's weapon.

Two boys at opposite ends of the book facing foes and gaining their weapons. It seemed they were defeating all these foes and taking their weapons as a prize. What an interesting idea. He thought it was clever. Did he draw this? He must have been talented. Sai felt proud, knowing that he was capable of such a thing.

He just had one question: Who was the second boy in this picture book?

If he was the drawing on the one side of the book, then who was the other drawing of? Who was this boy?

Sai closed the book, then opened it again. Right in the middle, where the book naturally opened.

"Hm?"

This page was very different from the others. This one had only the two boys, but in this page, there were no weapons and no foes. Instead, on the page they were standing side by side, holding hands.

What a nice picture. Sai's heart felt lighter just looking at it. He liked it.

The boys were friends. They cared about each other. They were not enemies.

One was Sai and the other was...

Who was he? Who was this person Sai cared about? Who was not an enemy? Who seemed to feel the same way about him?

Should he ask or try to figure this out on his own?

Sai looked around and realized that the meeting had already ended and everyone was starting to go to sleep for the night. Naruto was starting to lie down nearby. Sai crawled over to him.

"Naruto?"

"Yeah, Sai?"

Surely he would know.

Sai held up the book, showing Naruto the page in the middle. "Who is this?" he asked, pointing to the boy on the left page.

Naruto looked. He remembered when Sai drew this in front of him when they were looking for Sasuke together.

"That's your brother."

"My brother?" That's right. Naruto mentioned that he had a brother. So this was him? Sai turned the book around to stare at the page. "My brother..."

"Yeah." Naruto sat next to Sai and pointed. "You drew this in front of me a little while ago. We were on our first mission together. You said you wanted to show your brother something but couldn't remember."

"Did I have memory problems back then?"

"No. I think it's..." Naruto looked at the drawing of the two boys holding hands and smiling. "I think it's because you blocked it out. Not the picture, but a part of yourself. You forgot the bond and what it felt like. You thought you had no feelings. But then, you remembered what it felt like to love someone and to be loved by someone. You remembered what a bond was and then you could draw this. You remembered the drawing because you remembered the bond."

"The bond?" Sai looked at the picture book.

"Yeah. And when you remembered that, you remembered how to smile. You smiled at me. An honest, from the heart smile." Naruto faced Sai and grinned. Then his face broke into a smile.

Sai saw Naruto's smile and smiled himself. Just seeing that toothy smile full of joy and love made him feel like smiling, too. Naruto had so much compassion and understood people very well. Sai thought he was very intelligent.

"Thank you... Naruto."

"For what?"

"For the things I remember and the things I don't." Sai hugged the picture book to his chest and crawled away from where Naruto was getting ready to go to sleep. "Good night."

"You don't have to sleep so far away," Naruto told him. "I don't mind you sleeping next to me like the other night."

"It's ok," he said. "I know you're there. I know you're with me."

* * *

Kakashi looked up at the ceiling, unable to sleep. He was sore from his battle with Naruto, but that wasn't what was keeping him up. He could still see that boy's face. No matter what he did, he couldn't get it out of his head.

It must have been pride that stopped him, but now he was having doubts.

The best way to make sure he didn't feel this way anymore was to get rid of the boy. No more boy, no more problem.

Tomorrow, he would kill that blond boy. No matter what.

He had to do it.

* * *

Sai walked slowly through a strange fog in the darkness. There was nothing around or above him. Just an endless darkness and fog. Finally, he came to a place with multiple stone parapets. They lowered until they were under the fog. They rose again, but as pillars this time. They formed a staircase which Sai climbed.

He came to a new place which didn't appear to be any different from the endless darkness and fog he had been wandering through. The only difference was what stood out from the foggy ground.

Several stone pillars. There were several of them forming a circle around him and each one had a round jewel resting on top. He approached the jewels and noticed that they all looked the same, except for the color. They were all different colors but they were all shaped the same and were all the same size on identical pillars.

He was tempted to pick one up but he didn't. He didn't know who these belonged to. Even worse, he didn't know which one was his. If any.

The pillars started to move closer, fencing him in. Sai stood in the center and watched the pillars advance towards him then stop. They seemed to want him to pick one. Which one should he pick? What would happen if he chose wrong?

Which one? Which was right?

"Sai?"

Sai opened his eyes and realized that fog was just a dream. The pillars weren't real. He was still in the wooden fortress Yamato had built for them.

"Sai?" Sakura was leaning over him. "Are you ok? You were moaning."

"Yeah. I was just... having a dream."

"Ok." Sakura sat back. "We're getting ready to move out now."

"Alright." Sai picked up the picture book he left lying on his chest and got ready to follow the others.

* * *

Another battle is coming up.

Please review! ^-^


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13:**

Kiba stopped and looked back at the group. "We're getting close. Akamaru is picking up a solid trail heading that direction." Kiba pointed slightly to the right. "I'm also picking up a faint hint of Kakashi's scent. This is definitely the path they took."

"Alright everyone," said Yamato, "stay alert. It's possible that we'll run into the enemy again. Especially if we're getting close to their hideout. They may jump out in order to keep its location a secret."

"How's your leg doing, Shikamaru?" asked Ino.

"It's alright. Fighting shouldn't be a problem."

Sai peered over Naruto's shoulder at Kiba. He was still trying to wrap his head round the fact that Kiba had the nose of a dog and could track scents as easily as his canine partner. It seemed that Akamaru could pick up on things Kiba could not but other than that the two of them seemed to be very similar.

"Once we reach the hideout, be prepared for a fight. We'll most likely run into Kakashi there," said Yamato.

"And with any luck, we'll find the person responsible and cure Sai and Neji as well as Kakashi-sensei," added Naruto. He clenched his fists tightly. "Hang on, Kakashi-sensei. We're coming to help you."

Sai overheard Naruto's muttered words and spoke up. "It seems Kakashi does not want our help, Naruto."

"He doesn't know he wants our help. He's the same as you and Neji. He can't remember anything and is confused. He found someone who didn't know him and convinced him he was bad. This is why you have to be found by friends and they should be the ones to help you. Otherwise, this happens and someone who was once good and awesome turns into someone bad and... and not who he is at all."

Sai looked down. "Even if you are found by friends, you're still someone you're not."

Naruto turned his head with a quiet gasp. He saw the sad look on Sai's face and understood.

Sai still wasn't himself. Though found by friends, he was still a different person.

"Don't worry, Sai," Naruto whispered to him. "You'll be back to your old self in no time. Trust me."

"I have no choice but to trust you, don't I?" Sai forced a smile onto his face. It was fake, but not the usual fake smile he wore. This one looked pained.

Naruto turned around and put his hands on Sai's shoulder. "Sai." Naruto leaned into his face and gave him a hard look. "I promise, you will get your memories back. I swear it. So don't give up. I'm not giving up so neither should you."

Sai looked into those blue eyes and was filled with hope again. He nodded and Naruto smiled. He gripped Sai's shoulders tightly then took his hands away.

Sai looked at Naruto's back as he walked and felt reassured. He felt like he could believe in Naruto. That he could follow him anywhere without fear.

Akamaru sniffed the ground, then lifted his head, sniffing the air. He whimpered.

"What is it, Akamaru?"

He whimpered to Kiba.

"What's up?"

Kiba turned back to the group. "He says Kakashi's scent is going in different directions. He can't find a trail."

"Then the enemy has caught on to our motive. They know we're tracking Kakashi and trying to find their hideout. Unless we have a clear path, we shouldn't move forward. We might be getting further away from our goal. We could also be walking into a trap."

"The enemy will be expecting us. And Kakashi is no pushover," said Shikamaru. "He might had spread his scent all over this place knowing we were relying on scent to track them down."

"I have an idea," said Ino. "I can transfer my consciousness into a bird just as I did when we were tracking the Akatsuki. Then I can look for their hideout from above."

"It could be well hidden and there's always a risk when you use that jutsu," said Shikamaru. "But it's not a bad idea. Just be careful."

"Aren't I always?"

Since it was a little after daybreak, there were plenty of birds to choose from. Most flew off as soon as they spotted the traveling humans but some thinking they were safe in the trees stayed behind. Ino selected a bird on a branch and used her Mind Transfer Jutsu on it. Shikamaru stayed with her body while Ino took flight in the bird's body.

She could see far and wide using the bird's body. She flew over the trees and into the distance. There were no signs of humans anywhere. She swooped down low and landed on a branch. There was nothing hear either. It was hard enough to find people in the forest but even harder when flying above it. It broadened the search but the branches and leaves covered most of the ground, making it difficult to see.

She took off again and flew to another branch on a different tree. This time, she had a stroke of luck. She found one of the ninja crouching down under a tree. He seemed to be alone. She recognized this one as Yari, the ice jutsu specialist.

He leaned against the tree and looked at the sky. He looked down at his hand and started to doing something Ino couldn't see. Something was happening to his hand. She didn't dare get a closer look so she watched from where she was. Yari was making a pick out of ice. It sat in the palm of his hand like a pencil.

In one quick motion, he threw it to his left and straight at Ino.

"Release!"

Ino sprang up and grabbed Shikamaru's arm.

"Ouch!"

It was a reflex. She had been scared. Something must have happened to her.

"Are you ok?" Shikamaru asked.

Ino panted, trying to calm herself down. "Yeah. I'm alright. That was close." If she had been a fraction of a second later than that, she would have died. The ice pick would have killed her. "I found one of them. He's the ice-user. He's over in that direction, less than half a mile."

"At least he's not on top of us. Did you find a building or anything?"

"No. Nothing like that."

"We know where one of them is so we can either avoid him or go after him. It's probably best to take them down before they can gang up on us like before."

Ino shivered. It was getting colder. An icy breath was coming from the forest ahead of them. "Guys, he's here. It's Yari."

Everyone turned to face the enemy. Shikamaru was the only one who looked in the opposite direction. He had a gut feeling something was going to come from behind while everyone else was looking forward.

"Ice Style, Ice Plane Jutsu."

The ground beneath them began to freeze. Frost traveled up the trees and froze them solid. Yari stepped out onto the ice and stood in front of the group. His pale complexion match perfectly to his surroundings.

"So... Who's ready to go another round?"

As everyone braced themselves for an attack, Shikamaru threw a kunai with a paper bomb attacked to the handle into the trees. He saw movement. Two people sprang apart as soon as they saw the paper bomb. Just as he thought, there were others behind them.

"Guess I'll go first." Yari wove his hand signs. "Ice Style, Ice Spear Jutsu!"

The group jumped to avoid the spears stabbing the air from below. As soon as they were in the air, another jutsu came at them from the trees.

"Plant Style, Viper Vine Jutsu!"

The vines wrapped around their arms and legs and held them in the air.

"See how easy it is?" came Hebi's voice. "Now we can gut you like a bunch of fish."

One person trapped in the vines wasn't struggling. As Hebi approached, he realized he had been tricked. One of the ninja had been replaced by a clone. A wooden carving lay in his place.

"That wood-style ninja again." Hebi looked around but the ninja wasn't in sight. "Hey! If you don't want me to kill these brats, then you'll have to- Ugh!"

A wooden fist punched Hebi in the spine. He was blasted onto the ice and slid until he hit a tree. He struggled to his knees and looked around. The ninja in his vines had all been freed. Before he could use the jutsu again, Hebi found himself trapped in a wooden stockade. Both hands were not over pulled away from him but they were also sealed away in a wooden box, making it even more impossible for him to use hand signs.

"Now who's the weakling?" Yari muttered to himself. He turned back to the ninja. "You can't run from me forever." Yari slipped into the ice and started to swim under them like a fish in a frozen pond.

Sakura knew Yari could spring out of the ice whenever he wanted to attack them from below. If the ice was done away with, then he couldn't do that. Sakura smashed her fist into the ice which cracked and shattered like glass.

Yari sprang out of the ice and stood off to the side. "That annoying girl again. I'll have to deal with her first."

"Need some help?" Kakashi and Shizuka appeared in front of Hebi, looking at his restraints. "How about we burn this wood off of you?"

"No, no, wait!" Hebi yelled in a panic.

"Just messing with you." Shizuka turned and saw the ninja watching them. Freeing Hebi now would be too risky. He had to do something about these ninja so they wouldn't attack him while his back was turned, freeing his comrade.

Kakashi's eyes fell to one ninja in particular. His gaze was on Naruto. He glared at him.

Shizuka noticed the glare and followed his gaze to the boy with blond hair. This was the one giving Kakashi all this trouble. No doubt he wanted to settle the score with this boy and do him in.

Yamato tried to seal them both before anyone attacked, but Kakashi was too quick. Kakashi appeared in front of him and drove a kunai into his gut. Yamato hunched over, groaning.

The group looked worried until they saw the plank of wood in front of Yamato's stomach. He had blocked the attack in time.

Without a word, Kakashi slammed his knee into Yamato's stomach and pulled his kunai out of the wood. He swung wide at Yamato's head but the attack missed. Yamato backed up frantically, knowing that Kakashi would not be easy to defeat. It may even be impossible.

"Kakashi-sensei..." Naruto whispered. He wanted to talk some sense into him. He wanted to fight him instead of letting Yamato do it. Naruto felt like it was his duty to do it. Maybe it was because it was his sensei. Maybe it was because he hadn't finished their fight from before. He didn't know. All he knew was that he needed to face Kakashi himself.

Kakashi saw something on the ground and retreated. Shikamaru's shadow shrank back to where he was hiding in the trees. He managed to escape being caught in the vines before when he had ran into the woods. He was trying to track down the two ninja hiding in here, but it also gave him an advantage. In here, he was out of sight so if his teammates got caught in another trap, he could help them. In this case, it was good to spread out so they didn't make such an easy target.

This time he was only going to use his jutsu when he felt confident he could ensnare someone. Otherwise he would run out of chakra again and he needed all he had to face this group.

He had another idea in mind as well. Kiba had said that they were detecting Kakashi's scent a lot in one direction. If he remained out of sight and the others fought the enemy, then Shikamaru could sneak off and look for the hideout himself. It was very dangerous and even foolish, but it was an option he considered taking.

"Gah!" Yamato was almost brought to his knees by Kakashi's next attack. Kakashi stepped forward and punched Yamato in the stomach. He grabbed Yamato's vest and held him close, punching him again. Yamato knocked his arm aside and tried to trap him with his wood.

Kakashi took a kunai from his belt and stabbed Yamato in the chest. The vest offered some protection but it wasn't enough to stop the blade completely. Blood began to ooze through his vest. Kakashi then went for Yamato's neck but he blocked with a thick piece of wood from his shoulder.

Kakashi pulled the kunai free and stepped back. "That trick will only help for so long."

Yamato grit his teeth, a look of pain in his eyes.

Kakashi misread the pained expression for what Yamato was feeling from the attack. Yamato was actually suffering from the pain of having to fight his friend and ally. Kakashi would never try to kill him, yet here he was plunging knives into his body.

Hebi bashed the wood trapping him against a tree trunk, trying to free himself.

No one on either team paid him any attention.

Yari focused his attention on the girls and Naruto. "Ice Style, Ice Plane Jutsu."

"Look out!" Sakura threw her arm in front of Naruto to stop him from walking into the trap.

Yari rose up from the ice and stood in front of them. "I believe we have some unfinished business to attend to." He wove hand-signs faster than their eyes could track. "Ice Style, Ice Spear Justu!"

The group jumped out of the way, but Yari wasn't finished.

"I'm just getting started. Ice Style, Frost Bite Jutsu!"

Ino was the first to see the attack. Large spears of ice started to snap at them like a pair of jaws. The ice underfoot had become no different from a giant bear trap. Anyone who jumped to avoid the ice on the ground would be bitten by the ice jaws.

"He really means 'bite', you guys," Ino told them. "It's not like the word frostbite. It's actually a pair of jaws. If we jump off the ground, we're going to get bitten by those teeth made of ice. He wants to keep us on the ground."

"Yeah, so he can use his other attacks. He's making sure we have no where to go."

Yari smiled. "You got that right. Now... Ice Style, Hailstorm Jutsu!"

Fragments of ice started to break off from the ground and the ice spears gouging the trees. The fragments turned into hail which buffeted the trio from all directions.

Yari smirked. "See just how strong I am? I didn't take you seriously before. Now you get to see what I'm made of."

Naruto came bursting out of the hailstorm with his Rasengan in hand. "Get the hell out of the way!"

His attack landed in the center of Yari's chest and the hail stopped falling.

Yari's chest began to crack and his body split in half.

Naruto jumped back in surprise.

"It's an ice clone..." Naruto looked around. "It's a clone made of ice. Then... Then where did..?"

Someone grabbed his ankles.

Yari's head popped out of the ice underfoot and cackled. "Miss me?"

Off balance, Naruto was unable to block the way he wanted. He stopped his fall with his hand and used his other arm to protect his face. Yari was readying an attack.

"Cha!" Sakura punched Yari in the shoulder, saving Naruto. Yari flew across the ice while Naruto slid only a few feet. As Yari slowed, he quickly slipped back into the ice-covered ground and hid.

Naruto didn't care about Yari. He wanted Kakashi. Fight him or speak with him, it didn't matter. His sensei was the only thing on his mind.

Yari lifted out of the ice behind Naruto and attempted to stab him with a sharp piece of ice.

"Naruto, look out!"

Naruto spun around and grabbed Yari's wrist. He managed to stop him in time, but it was a close call. Naruto knew he couldn't afford to get distracted, but he couldn't help himself.

Naruto's concern quickly turned to rage and glared at Yari.

"Ah..!" Yari dropped the ice. Naruto's grip was tightening. "Ah!" Too tight! It felt like his wrist was breaking. Yari tried to pull Naruto off with his other hand but Naruto had him in a death grip. He had no idea this boy could hold him with such strength.

His skin was starting to turn red where Naruto held him. It felt like his skin was burning.

"Get lost," Naruto growled.

Yari looked into Naruto's eyes and a chill colder than his own ice shot through him.

Those eyes. Those red, primal eyes. Like the eyes of a beast.

"Get the hell away from me!" Naruto bellowed and threw Yari back with one hand.

Yari wasn't thrown far but he was too shaken to move. He had never felt such a thing before. He had never seen such eyes before. It was like something from a childhood nightmare. This boy… He was not normal.

Naruto turned back around, ignoring Yari. He was staring at Kakashi who had drawn blood from Yamato's arm. It was Naruto's turn to freeze.

Kakashi slashed Yamato again and again, swinging wildly. He tore open Yamato's vest. He put tears in his sleeves and cuts on his cheek. Kakashi used his kunai to slice Yamato any way he saw fit, laughing as he did so. He was enjoying it.

Kakashi spun around and kicked Yamato in the stomach and he went down.

"Heh," Kakashi scoffed as he stood over him. "What a piece of trash. A total waste of my time."

Naruto couldn't stand the sight any longer. Seeing Kakashi enjoy hurting his friends, watching him do these horrible things and then gloat about it. No more! This wasn't him. This wasn't his sensei.

Naruto threw himself between Yamato and Kakashi with his arms outstretched. "Kakashi-sensei, stop this!"

Kakashi paused, seeing the boy again. Then he grit his teeth and growled, "Stop calling me that, you little runt!"

"Stop! Think about what you're doing! This isn't you!"

"What the hell do you know about me?" Kakashi growled.

"Kakashi-sensei, please. Just listen to me for one-"

"I told you not to call me that!" Kakashi raised his fist and punched Naruto in the face. Naruto was struck so hard, he was thrown off his feet and fell to his knees.

"Naruto, stay back!" Yamato warned him. "You can't reason with him."

He didn't believe that. He couldn't. Was Yamato really telling him to just give up and accept this? Accept that Kakashi was like this now? Never! This was torture. Naruto was so desperate to bring Kakashi back to his senses, he was willing to do anything. Even do something foolish and dangerous.

Kakashi stepped on Yamato's stomach and moved in for the kill.

Naruto sprang up and wrapped himself around Kakashi's waist. Kakashi thought Naruto was trying to tackle him, but he was actually just trying to hold him back.

"Get off me!"

Naruto held him tighter.

"Off!" Kakashi used the side of his fist to club Naruto over the head. "I said off!"

No matter how many times he was hit, Naruto would not let go. If anything, he held on tighter. "Please, sensei! Stop! You don't want to do this! I know you don't!"

"Get off of me!"

"Kakashi-sensei, please!"

"Stop calling me that, you little brat!" Kakashi grabbed a fistful of Naruto's hair and pulled. Naruto wouldn't come loose. "You worthless piece of…" Kakashi held his kunai high and stabbed Naruto in the shoulder.

Unable to hold on anymore, Naruto let go. The kunai in his shoulder prevented him from using his arm. As soon as Kakashi pulled it free, Naruto tried again. Kakashi kicked him.

"I'll kill you, you little brat!" Kakashi yelled at him. "I mean it!"

"I'm not giving up on you," Naruto told him. "I'm not. I mean it, Kakashi-sensei."

Kakashi raised the kunai again.

"Anyone who abandons their friends are worse than scum."

Kakashi did not move.

Those words…

Kakashi stared at him, frozen. Why couldn't he move? He wanted to kill this boy. He was causing him nothing but trouble. He had every intention of killing him.

Move. Move!

Shizuka watched, puzzled. Why wasn't Kakashi moving? What had that boy said to him? Those words meant nothing. He had never seen Kakashi hesitate like this. Something was wrong.

Kakashi stared down at the boy. This… This annoying, stupid child. Why wouldn't he leave him alone? Why was this boy's face haunting him? He couldn't stand it. It was time to get rid of him. The sooner he did it, the better.

Shutting his eyes for a moment, Kakashi lifted his kunai higher and brought it down.

"Guh!"

That sound didn't come from Naruto.

It came from Sai.

Kakashi looked down and realized he had stabbed someone else. His kunai was in Sai's gut, not Naruto's.

He pondered for a moment why this was. He had his weapon raised above his head. He should have been stabbing his target in the chest, not the stomach. Had he moved his hand without realizing it? But why? It was almost as if subconsciously he did not want to kill him.

"Sai!"

Kakashi looked back at what he had done. He pulled the kunai out of Sai's stomach and watched the blood flow.

It wasn't a fatal blow, but this stranger couldn't have known that. He risked his life to save the blond.

Kakashi shook his head. It didn't matter. As soon as the other boy fell he could go after his intended target while he was distracted.

As Kakashi went to move he found that he couldn't. His body was frozen again, but this time it felt as if someone were holding him back.

Kakashi looked down as far as he could and saw a shadow stretching towards him from the forest.

Watching from the sidelines, Shikamaru used his jutsu just in time to save Naruto and Sai a fatal blow. He only regretted not being able to save Sai from the first attack. He hadn't seen Sai on the battlefield and had no idea he was going to do that. Sai had been so cowardly until now. Why would he do something now?

"Sai!" Naruto was holding him, oblivious to everything else around him. "Are you ok? How bad is it? Let me see."

Sai moved his hand long enough for Naruto to take a look at it then covered it again.

"Why did you do that? I thought you were hiding."

"I was. But…" Sai looked down. "When I saw you getting hurt, I… I don't know. I just… My body just moved. I wanted to protect you."

"You could have been killed."

"I know, I…" Sai's eyes widened. "Naruto, behind."

Naruto spun around and stopped another ninja from attacking them. It was Suzume. Naruto wasn't able to hold Sai and hold Suzume back at the same time. Trying to do both was forcing Naruto further into the ground. Suzume was too strong to hold back with one arm. Thankfully, Sakura came to help defend the both of them. She kicked Suzume aside and offered to treat Sai right away. Naruto passed him off to Sakura then went after Suzume himself.

"Wind Style…" Suzume was interrupted by Naruto's punch. Every time he tried to use a jutsu, the boy would stop him. Switching to hand-to-hand combat, Suzume had a better chance. He managed to get in two punches to Naruto's face before being struck himself.

Shizuka looked from Naruto to Kakashi. Kakashi was still frozen and the wood-user was already beginning to stand. He had to protect Kakashi. He could look for the shadow-caster, but he preferred to attack the wood-user instead.

From a distance, he fired off a round of fireballs to force the man back. Then he jumped out and went over to Kakashi. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, but I can't move." Kakashi was frozen in place. He couldn't even turn his head. "Behind me. Look behind me. The one who did this must be back there. Find him and kill him."

"And leave you here as an easy target? Fat chance."

"The others will watch my back. Get going!"

"Right." Shizuka left Kakashi's side and went into the woods. There was nothing directly behind Kakashi, but he did find a shadow. It was coming from the left. Shizuka followed it. The shadow made a sharp turn, zigzagging between trees. He knew the owner was on the other end but finding him was going to be difficult if this was how he chose to hide himself. The caster could be anywhere.

Suddenly, the shadow moved. Fearing he would get caught as well, Shizuka jumped into a tree and watched. The shadow shrank and then slithered behind another tree.

The same thing happened before when the user ended the jutsu. Shizuka, keeping off the ground, went in the direction the shadow had gone. The trail ran cold. There was no sign of the shadow or its owner anywhere. With nothing else to do, Shizuka went back to help the others.

Shikamaru breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Shizuka give up and leave. Wrapping his shadow around numerous trees was a good idea to keep his exact location hidden, but it was taxing. Thankfully his shadow came back to him in time before Shizuka could track him down.

He peered around the bush he was hiding behind. Sai was injured but he was in good hands. There were two medics on sight. Ino could always take over if Sakura needed to enter the fight again and she could watch Ino's back while she healed Sai. Hebi was still stuck, but Yamato was in a lot of pain. Kakashi really did a number on him.

But his location was still unknown. No one had seen him. No one knew where he was. They assumed he was there because of his jutsu, but he was hidden the entire time.

This was a golden opportunity to sneak off and head for their secret base. They would never know he was gone.

But he faced the same problem. He was still uncertain if the others could handle him not being there. If the enemy thought he was still there then so did his team. They were relying on him and he was just going to leave? He would be putting them all at risk. But this was his chance. If he made it to the enemy base, he would be able to gather more information. He would also be able to tell the others where it was located. If he was successful, it would benefit everyone.

Should he risk it?

They might stand a better chance in battle with him around. If he got injured, it didn't matter. If the enemy believed he was still around, it wouldn't matter if he was there or not. They had already seen his jutsu. They knew he was there. Leaving wouldn't make much difference. His team was strong. He had faith they would be able to hold their own. He wasn't doing that much anyway.

How would they react if the battle ended and he was nowhere to be found?

His mind made up, Shikamaru took a kunai out of his bag and drew a line across the ground, pointing in the direction he was going. He couldn't make it too obvious for the enemy to decipher. Then he found a nearby tree and stabbed it, leaving the kunai in the trunk.

"I have to go. I'm sorry."

Shikamaru looked around to make sure no one was watching, then sneaked away without anyone noticing.

* * *

What will Shikamaru find?

Please review! ^-^


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14:**

Free, Kakashi returned to battle. He tried to resume his fight with Yamato since he was already weakened, but a new foe stepped between them. Kakashi looked down at the boy with his dog and scoffed. As soon as he tried to hit Kiba, Akamaru tried to bite him. Akamaru was kicked in the rubs by Shizuka from above. Together, they would face this canine duo.

Just as Shikamaru figured, Sakura patched up Sai first, then re-entered the fight, leaving Ino to take care of the rest. She protected Ino and Sai from Supaisu as he attacked from above.

Things took a nasty turn when Yari decided to join the fray. He and Supaisu attacked Sakura together. Sakura was strong but she couldn't take them both on at once and protect Ino and Sai at the same time.

"I got your back!" Neji jumped into the fray, kicking Yari in the stomach.

"Neji!"

"Don't tell me to go hide somewhere and don't tell me I can't handle them." Neji took a fighting stance, but it wasn't a very strong stance. He was still a novice. "I'm a ninja, too. I will help in any way I can. Besides, you can't handle them by yourself. Even if you are a strong and capable ninja. Let me help you."

There was no sense arguing. It would only waste time and distract them. Sakura allowed Neji to help her. Not that she had much of a choice.

Hebi threw himself against a tree trunk, still trying to free himself. Once he did, these ninja wouldn't stand a chance. The wood was already beginning to crack. If he had a better angle and didn't want to risk smashing his head against the tree as well, he would already be free. This thick wood was a real pain to get through.

"Rasengan!" Naruto nailed Suzume in the chest and sent him flying.

Suzume recovered and tackled Naruto into a tree. Naruto kicked him in the stomach with his knee and slammed his elbow into the back of Suzume's neck. It was enough to make him dizzy but not to knock him out. Suzume wrapped his hand around Naruto's face and slammed his head into the tree.

A stray breath of fire sailed overhead as Shizuka tried to hit Kiba who wouldn't stop jumping. Shizuka then tried to draw Kiba out by attacking his dog along with Kakashi. As soon as Kiba tried to protect him, Shizuka grabbed Kiba by the neck and threw him down. Akamaru barked and tried to help him but Kakashi wasn't going to let him.

A board of wood stopped Kakashi's kunai from stabbing Akamaru and in retaliation, Kakashi went after Yamato.

At the same time, Hebi finally managed to break free of his entrapment and joined the fight. He attacked Yamato from behind but he already expected this and blocked.

Naruto summoned two clones and together attacked Suzume with several Ragengans. Two struck him and sent him flying right into Supaisu. Yari hid under a sheet of ice, rising up only once it was safe.

The two tumbled between Yamato and Hebi, getting tangled in vines as they did so. The two sprang apart and resumed the fight, this time, attacking anyone they felt like.

Naruto ran between Sakura and Yari to kick Supaisu in the face. Then he grabbed Hebi by the head and pulled him down. Suzume tried to stop him but Yamato prevented it.

It was a free-for-all.

Everyone's separate fights had turned into a brawl. After several flying attacks and stray hits, the crowd of ninja spread out and started attacking each other from a distance. Some went into the woods while others stayed where they were. No one knew who was attacking whom anymore. It seemed almost everyone had switched battle partners.

"Fire Style, Flame Shuriken!"

"Lightning Blade!"

Their combined attack sent Yamato flying. Akamaru went after Shizuka who jumped on his back and rode him into the woods. Akamaru kicked and jumped, trying to throw him off. When Kiba came to help, Kakashi grabbed him by the neck and forced him back.

Shizuka jumped off Akamaru and landed safely on the ground. As he readied another attack, his belt started to flash. He looked down.

The others stopped their battles to look down at their belts which had all started to flash.

"Retreat!" Supaisu called. "Retreat!"

Most came without a fuss, fleeing into the trees. Some had to fight their way out because their opponents were stubborn.

"Get back here!" Naruto screamed, chasing after them.

"Naruto!" Sakura called after him.

He wasn't listening. He kept going, trying to grab the one he had been fighting last. Even with his injuries, Naruto did not slow down.

Shizuka watched Naruto from where he stood.

This boy…

Shizuka jumped into the trees and followed his comrades, but he did not intend to keep up. Just get ahead of the blond.

There was something about this boy he couldn't shake. He had to get answers.

Naruto ran on foot, trying to spot Kakashi, but the ninja were moving too fast, zigzagging all over the place. They were doing this so he couldn't track them. Within no time, he had lost sight of Kakashi, and soon the whole group.

Naruto slowed to a stop. "Dammit…" He had no idea where to go from here. If he kept going straight… No, they probably wouldn't be there. It would be too easy. He knew they moved a certain way to confuse him. Otherwise, they would be leading him directly to their secret base which he knew they weren't foolish enough to do.

What could he do now? How was he going to get Kakashi back? Where would he find him?

Someone stepped out from behind a tree. It was one of the ninja they had been fighting.

"You," he said. "Boy."

Naruto got into a fighting stance and took out a kunai.

"Hold up." The young man held up his hands. "I'm not here to fight. Not now."

"And why the hell should I believe you?" Naruto spat.

He was so angry. This was one of the men who had Kakashi. One of the men they had been fighting. He was clearly a threat. He was probably going to attack as soon as he put his weapon away. He would not be tricked.

Who knew what this man had been doing to Kakashi? Torture? Was he the one who did this to his sensei? Was he responsible?

All he wanted was Kakashi back. No one was going to get in his way. If this man was looking to stop him from finding Kakashi, then Naruto was going to stop him first. He didn't care how injured he got in the process. He would defeat this man and rescue Kakashi. Even if he didn't want to be rescued, he would. No one was going to stop him. No one.

"You know Kakashi?"

Naruto did not attack. He wanted to a moment ago, but now…

Why? Why did he stop? Why was he lowering his weapon?

Naruto looked into the man's eyes and saw compassion. He didn't want to fight. He was telling the truth. The compassion wasn't directed towards him but someone else.

That wasn't all. It was the man's voice. Something in it told Naruto that he meant no harm.

"Do you know Kakashi?" he asked again with impatience.

"Y- yeah." Naruto straightened up. "I do."

The man approached. "I heard you calling him by name. He never told it to you. How do you know him?"

Naruto put away his weapon. "He's my sensei."

"Sensei?" He seemed amused. "So that is why you are calling him that. Are you sure you are not confused?"

"I know my sensei! That is Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto snapped. "I know him anywhere."

"But clearly he does not know you." Shizuka paused, remembering the events that had taken place. He remembered what Kakashi had told him. "Kakashi finds you annoying. He claims to not know you. And I believe him. I've known him for a long time."

Naruto knew that couldn't be true but he realized that the ninja wasn't lying to him. He believed with all his heart that he had known Kakashi for as long as he claimed.

If that was the case, then this ninja must have been under the same jutsu as Kakashi.

He wasn't an enemy, but a victim.

"I have never seen Kakashi behave like this before," the man went on. "This is new. To him and to me. He knows he is not himself. He told me that he had tried to kill you but couldn't bring himself to do it."

Naruto was happy to hear that. Deep down inside, Kakashi was still his sensei and his sensei would never harm a member of his team.

"I thought it was because he wanted more of a challenge. But this time, I witnessed it myself," he went on. "I saw him hesitate during that battle. I saw him attack but he didn't choose a vital area. He was holding back. I can tell that even he wasn't aware of why he had done that. But it must have something to do with you. He told me so and I believe it as well. There's something about you and I want to know what it is. I want to help him. I want to know why Kakashi is behaving strangely."

Naruto didn't know what to tell him other than the truth. "I know Kakashi-sensei. He trained me and we've been on missions together. We care about each other."

Shizuka saw how Naruto never tried to kill Kakashi and how Kakashi was behaving strangely around this boy but he was still skeptical. "I don't suppose you have any proof of that statement?"

"Huh?"

"To prove that you know each other and care for one another. I don't suppose you have proof?"

"Proof?" He remembered. "Actually, I do."

Naruto took off his backpack and opened it. He rummaged inside for a moment, then pulled something out.

"I wanted to show this to Kakashi-sensei," said Naruto, "but I haven't really gotten the chance."

He handed Shizuka the photograph. Shizuka held it up and took a good look.

His eyes widened.

There was Kakashi… wearing a Leaf headband.

With him were three children, all with the same headband. The blond in the photo was obviously the boy several years ago. The young girl must have been the one aiding him in battle with the rest of the group. They had aged, which meant this photo was taken years ago, but Kakashi looked more or less the same other than his clothes. The same hair, the same mask. This was Kakashi. With children from the Leaf. All wearing the same headband.

"That's…" Shizuka couldn't hide his shaking voice. "That's… impossible."

He looked the photo over from every angle. This was Kakashi. No matter how he looked at it, this was him.

"But… he couldn't… I mean, he never…" Shizuka's hands were starting to shake as well. "This can't be…"

Naruto took the photo back. "Are you ok?"

Shizuka stepped back. "I… I have to go." Without another word, Shizuka fled the area, leaving Naruto and the photo behind.

Naruto stared in the direction Shizuka had been standing. He knew this man wanted to help Kakashi and not just because he said he did. He could tell that he cared about Kakashi as well.

Naruto sighed and put the photo back in his bag. He hoped he hadn't complicated matters.

* * *

He walked back to the group, his mind heavy with the thoughts of Kakashi and the ninja he just met. He wondered if the man was really going to help him. Naruto believed he would try. He seemed sincere. Obviously, he cared about Kakashi as well.

Naruto stopped once he reached the group and looked around. Sai was up and walking, but Yamato was still being treated. His injuries were far worse. Everyone else seemed to be doing just fine. Except…

"Where's Shikamaru?"

Everyone looked up. Shikamaru was the only one missing.

"I haven't seen him since the fight."

"Why do you think they all rushed off like that?" asked Kiba. "That was weird, right?"

"I saw their belts flash. Their boss must have called them away for some reason."

"Shikamaru!" Ino called. "Where are you?" She looked back at the others. "He would have shown up by now."

"You don't think he got captured by the enemy?" Neji asked.

"Maybe that's why they ran off so quick," added Kiba.

Everyone was starting to get worried. While Yamato continued to be treated, everyone else got up and started searching. Ino called everyone over when she found a kunai in a tree trunk.

"It's his," Ino said, picking it up. "I know it is."

"It looks like he left it here on purpose," said Kiba. "Look at the scratch on the ground. I think he did all this on purpose. He marked the ground then left this here as a sign."

They returned to Yamato and Sakura to share what they found.

"Why would he run off like that?" asked Ino.

"He must have seen his chance to go to the enemy's hideout. The battle was the perfect cover. No one would notice him."

"So he went on ahead without telling anyone?"

"How could he in the middle of a fight? That would defeat the purpose. Besides, he left us a message right here." Yamato pointed to the kunai.

"If Shikamaru's on his way to their hideout, I say we follow the trail," said Kiba. "Akamaru and I know his scent so we won't even need to follow Kakashi's anymore. Let's follow him and get there. I'm ready for this mission to be over."

"If we act recklessly, it will be," warned Yamato. "If we follow Shikamaru too closely, we risk pointing him out to the enemy. I know he's by himself, but he actually stands a better chance in this situation. I don't think we should follow him. Not yet. We don't want to blow his cover."

"I guess you're right. A massive group and all…" Kiba shook his head. "Then what do we do now? Just stand around and wait for him to come back?"

Yamato put a hand to his rib. "I took a beating back there. I'm in no condition to fight another round just yet and traveling will be painful for me. I think it's best if we stay here for a while and rest. If Shikamaru comes back with a report, that's great. If not, we're heading in that direction ourselves. We'll meet up at some point."

They were concerned about Shikamaru's safety, but they knew he would be smart about this and avoid capture. He planned on going alone.

Naruto felt dizzy, there were so many things going on in his head. Kakashi, that ninja, the situation, Shikamaru, the hideout, Yamato's condition.

Naruto then caught sight of Sai and noticed the bandage on his stomach. "Are you ok, Sai?" he asked, remembering his injury.

"I'm ok," he said. "It just itches."

"Glad to hear you're ok."

Sai looked away. "I probably could have blocked that attack if I remembered how. Sorry to cause you trouble."

"It's ok," said Naruto, perking up a little. He didn't want Sai to get discouraged. "While we wait for Shikamaru, we can brush up on some training."

Neji nodded. "I'd like that."

"Yeah!" Naruto was starting to forget his concern. "Then we'll be ready when the next attack comes. And it will kill some time. Beats standing around, right?"

"No," Sakura said firmly.

Naruto turned around. "What?"

"Naruto, enough." She looked angry. "Naruto, this isn't going to work. Sai got hurt, Neji…"

"He's doing better. He didn't get hurt this time. I think he's doing ok. A little more training…"

"An extra day isn't going to make up for the years they lost!" she snapped. "Naruto, I won't have you putting them in danger. Enough is enough! If Captain Yamato can get this injured fighting Kakashi-sensei, just imagine what could happen to them."

"But I trained them before we left for this mission. They have experience fighting now thanks to this mission and I can do some additional training now. They'll be all set."

"Naruto, it takes years to become a ninja. It took them years to get where they were before all this. Years at the academy, years of missions, years of training. You've got a day! Naruto, you cannot expect them to be able to fight like themselves after only a couple days of training. It takes time. A long, long time."

"But every little bit helps," argued Naruto. "And their training is still in there. They know it! I just have to help them draw it out. This is just a review. They've already had the training. If I can just-"

"Don't you get it, Naruto? How much clearer do I have to be? They are not at that level anymore! They cannot fight like themselves and you training them now on the field isn't going to bring it all back."

"And leaving them at the village would have? Sakura, they're picking it up faster. This is good."

"I don't want them to get killed!"

"They won't get killed."

"How do you know that? How can you promise such a thing when Kakashi-sensei nearly killed Captain Yamato? When he burned me? He's not in his right mind and I don't trust him to not kill them when he sees the chance. He's not showing mercy!"

"But he's still our sensei!"

"He doesn't know that!"

"I know he wouldn't kill us! He knows us!"

"Not anymore!"

"I still believe in him!" Naruto shouted. "I know him even if he doesn't anymore! I'm not giving up on him and I'm not giving up on them!"

The shouting finally stopped.

Naruto was left panting and Sakura was left with tears in her eyes. Not from Naruto, but from her own doubts and fears.

Naruto caught his breath and stood tall. "Kakashi-sensei could have killed me back there. With that kunai. He could have, but he didn't. I saw him hesitate. Even when he stabbed Sai, he made sure to hit a non-vital area. He may not remember us, but he knows us. I know Kakashi-sensei wouldn't hurt us and I know he won't let any of us die. That part of him is still there. I saw it."

Sakura knew he was right. Sai would recover quickly for that injury. Kakashi wasn't looking to kill them.

"I know he's doing things that aren't like him. I know he's like a different person," said Naruto softly. "But I can also see parts of him that are still present. He knows us. I'm not giving up."

If he could make Neji and Sai remember their training, then he could make Kakashi remember who he really was. Who they were. Neji and Sai were already picking things up quickly, proving his point about drawing out what they already knew. He could do the same with Kakashi.

Neji stepped forward. "The first thing I can remember is waking up to a world I didn't know surrounded by people I had forgotten. I may not remember you guys, even now, but I feel a connection. And when I first looked around, I was scared and confused. I didn't know anything. Not even my name. I couldn't fight. I couldn't do anything. That was days ago. You're saying it will take years to get at the level I was at before, and maybe you're right. It took years to get there in the first place. But you guys even admitted that I'm doing really well and that I'm learning quickly. A few days ago, I couldn't do anything, now I can. Thanks to Naruto, I was able to help back you up, Sakura, in today's fight. I bet I could do more with additional training. What have we got to lose?"

Naruto was glad Neji stepped forward to say something. He could sense that everyone in the group had gained a little more confidence than they had before.

Yamato even nodded to them. "I don't think it's a bad idea. You both have come a long way. If you want to get better, you have to put forth an effort."

Naruto smiled at him. Yamato was on his side.

Naruto was feeling much better. Even if they were going through some problems, there was always a solution. Neji and Sai were getting better, Kakashi seemed to recall certain things, or at least have a feeling. They would snap him out of this and bring him back to his old self.

They could beat this. He knew they could win.

* * *

What will happened now that someone has seen the photo?

Please review! ^-^


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15:**

Sai sat cross-legged on the ground as he watched Naruto and Neji practice together. Their training session was heavily monitored by Sakura and Yamato, both worried that Naruto might take things too far.

Though Naruto insisted time and again that he had shown Neji how to fight and therefore knew what he could handle, both weren't convinced. Neji's skills were still clumsy and he lacked in many other ways. They thought he was not ready to see an intense battle like this, but they also knew he would only get better through practice. He had to train.

Neji swung his kunai diagonally and Naruto stepped aside. He used his own kunai to slash at Neji's throat.

Sakura grew tense, watching the fight. If Neji was not at his best, he would not be able to dodge an attack like that. This training was too dangerous for him. He was bound to get cut.

But Naruto had no intention of cutting Neji. Even if Neji did not move out of the way or if he moved the wrong way, he was in no danger of being cut. Naruto's kunai came close enough without putting Neji in harm's way. The tip of his blade only teased the threat of breaking the skin. This way, Neji would get a feel for what it would actually be like to come this close to a deadly weapon and be able to dodge.

Neji parried the slash to his throat with an upward swing. Deflecting the blade earned Neji a smile from his sparring partner. Neji was showing improvement.

Sakura watched nervously, ready to jump in as soon as blood was shed. Yamato kept an eye on them with similar concerns. However, he was pleased to see just how well Neji was doing.

This was good. Though neither of them wanted Neji to see battle in this state, it may have been unavoidable. If Neji learned how to defend himself, then that would ease their burden of having to protect him on this mission. Not knowing how to fight would be dangerous. That and the hopes of Neji remembering things more quickly spurred Yamato to approve of this training.

Neji changed the tempo of his strikes, adding more twists and turns to confuse his enemy. He tried stabbing Naruto directly in a forward move, but it was a bluff. As soon as Naruto moved to block, Neji turned the blade and his body so he was standing beside Naruto when blocking would not be easy. Naruto ducked and struck at Neji's heels. Neji jumped and tried to gain some distance. His hair flew out behind him as he escaped. Naruto pursued and jumped in front of Neji, blocking his retreat. Neji was forced to stop and thought of a different attack.

Sai felt like he was watching a pair of wild animals. They were both very good.

He looked down, feeling ashamed. Neji was in the same position he was and yet he had shown more improvement. Neji was already able to fight so well despite not knowing how. Actually, that wasn't entirely true. Neji had been shown how to fight before going on this mission and practiced. Sai had done the same. Neither of them knew how to use jutsu, but their martial arts had come a long way. Neji more so.

Perhaps it was because his skills were mostly based around martial arts and Sai's skills were different. Gentle Fist was very similar to hand-to-hand combat because that's what it was in a nutshell. Sai being able to bring his drawings to life was completely different. To make matters worse, no one could show him how to do it. He was on his own.

That made him feel terrible. Neji had someone to show him what to do but Sai did not. That must have been why it was taking him so long to catch up. Why he seemed weaker by comparison. He wanted to show some improvement, but it seemed that any progress he made would be overshadowed by Neji's accomplishments.

Crying out, Neji threw himself into Naruto with all his might. Their blades clashed together.

Sai listened to the continuous sound of forged metal clashing together. Never pausing. Clang after clang. Metal against metal. Sai looked up and saw Neji's footwork. He had improved in that department as well. His speed had also increased.

Neji threw out his arm and grabbed Naruto's jacket. With no means of escape, Naruto could not avoid the kunai coming at his throat. Neji's knife stopped just shy of Naruto's neck.

Sakura let out a breath. With Neji being no different from an amateur, she was worried that Neji would not be able to stop in time. Thankfully, Neji had more control over the blade than she gave him credit for.

Naruto smiled. "Not bad." He kicked Neji in the stomach and pulled his jacket free. "Try this now!"

Neji saw the kunai coming for his chest and acted automatically. Instead of dodging, Neji grabbed Naruto's wrist and flipped him over his shoulder and onto the ground. Neji crouched over him with his kunai at Naruto's neck.

"How's that?" Neji panted.

Naruto grinned. "I think that was round one."

Neji took the knife away and pulled Naruto to his feet.

"One more before resting?"

"Yeah."

Neji and Naruto took their positions and started over again.

This time, Naruto would not go easy on him. Not that he had been for most of the round. Neji had improved a lot since the beginning. Naruto only had to hold back a little. For this round, he was going to treat Neji as if he never had amnesia.

Neji thrust his kunai at Naruto's chest but it turned out to be a clone.

"I thought we agreed on no clones," Neji called to the trees, knowing Naruto was hiding nearby.

"Sorry. Force of habit." Naruto jumped down and landed in front of Neji. "But in a real fight, your opponent will probably be able to use clones so you need to be prepared for that."

Neji nodded. "Right." He lifted his weapon. "Ok."

They clashed blades again.

Sai's eyes followed them, hoping to pick up a few techniques by watching their spar. He made mental notes of everything he saw. How Neji moved his feet, how Naruto held his kunai, the angle, the force. Everything was important. He knew he would learn more by doing but for now watching them was enough to give him an idea. When it was his turn to spar, he would reenact what he saw them do during their duel. What Neji failed at, he would not do. He would learn from Neji's mistakes and not make them himself.

"Ha!" Naruto grabbed Neji's arm and pinned it behind his back. Naruto stood behind Neji with the kunai to his throat. "How's that?"

Neji tried to think of a way out of this situation. He seemed pretty stuck.

Remembering a move Hinata had shown him, Neji used his free arm to grab Naruto's weapon hand. He twisted his body, kicking Naruto in the shin. He pulled his arm to the side and turned his body so he was facing Naruto. He stepped forward, forcing Naruto to step back. He kept walking until Naruto's back struck the tree. He pulled away from Naruto with Naruto's weapon in his other hand. Now he had both.

Naruto pulled out another kunai and rushed at Neji. Neji threw one kunai at Naruto and used the other to block his oncoming attack.

Back and forth, they clashed their weapons. Then Naruto ducked down and punched Neji's arm, causing him to release his weapon. Naruto caught the falling kunai and stepped forward. He crossed both kunai and rested them against the sides of Neji's neck. Neji stood frozen with his arms raised in surrender.

It was another bluff. Neji grabbed Naruto's hands and forced them away from his neck. He kicked Naruto in the side and took his kunai back.

"Not bad." Naruto spin on his knees. "Now this!"

He struck at Neji's knee while Neji moved to block. Naruto stepped. Neji stepped with him. Naruto struck and Neji struck. They were perfectly matched.

Then...

"Hyah!" Naruto knocked the knife from Neji's hand and put his kunai to Neji's neck. At the same time, Neji had one hand up to strike at Naruto's face. His other hand was caught in Naruto's grasp.

They stood still, their position frozen in time. Either of them could have ended the fight with one strike.

Neji chose to be the one to end it. He moved his hand forward but Naruto had ducked. Neji's hand passed over Naruto's head. His eyes went wide as he felt Naruto's ankle behind his. Naruto kept going forward, his kunai still at Neji's neck. Neji moved back to avoid the blade but with Naruto's leg behind his, he had nowhere to step and went down. Neji fell backwards. The only thing that kept him from hitting the ground was Naruto's other hand holding his arm. Neji was off balance with a knife to his neck and his arm in a death grip.

Again, their bodies were frozen in the moment.

"That's... round two." Naruto took his knife away and pulled Neji up.

Neji stood and faced Naruto with satisfaction. The purpose of this battle wasn't to win but to hone his skills. He might have lost this round but that was because Naruto wasn't showing him any mercy this time. There were several times Neji thought he had the match won but Naruto surprised him and there were other times Neji surprised him. The match could have gone either way.

This was good news in Neji's opinion. It meant that he was improving and could hold his own in a fight.

"Ok," Naruto said, clapping his hands together. "Time for a break."

"Yes." Neji swallowed, his throat feeling dry. Salty sweat hit his tongue as he leaned forward to pick up his kunai then looked up at the sky. He was thankful for a well-deserved rest.

"You did great, Neji." Naruto patted him on the back.

Neji smiled. This match was very encouraging. He felt like he was adapting well.

He noticed many changes since the beginning. When he first started his training, he felt totally lost. He was clumsy and wasn't sure of himself. Everything was so new to him and yet he felt like he had known this from a past long forgotten. The training wasn't to perfect his skills, but to awaken them. His body was already trained. He had just forgotten. Slowly, the skills that were already there within him, in his bones and muscles, were revealing themselves.

Training like this was like physical therapy in a way. To his mind, this was all new. To his body, this was repetition. His body knew what to do but he had to keep up with it.

After practicing a bit more and seeing real battles up close, Neji's skills had grown more refined. No, more than that. Those skills were still there, he was just rediscovering them. That's what it was. It felt familiar to him. Now he felt more in sync with his mind and body. It was all coming together.

Neji walked over to his bag and took a deep gulp of water from his canteen. Then he guzzled it down, cooling his burning throat. He sat down under the tree and watched Naruto take a drink from his canteen and waved to Sakura. Sakura scolded Naruto for not going easy on him, but Naruto vouched for his sparring partner.

Sparring with Naruto gave Neji a very strange feeling. While they battled, he felt it. The battle felt familiar to him. Especially in their movements. The way they battled, where Naruto chose to strike and how. It was as if they had done this before.

Among all the memories that hadn't resurfaced yet, perhaps there was a time when they had trained together.

It couldn't have been coincidence. Neji was certain of it. He and Naruto must have learned how to duel together.

For Naruto, it was all too familiar. It brought back memories of the Chunin exams. Between the two of them, Naruto was the only one who remembered.

"Maybe I should reenact that fight," Naruto wondered aloud. "Knowing where to strike and all that. It might help him learn how to protect his weak points. An enemy will always go for those."

Even without his memory, Neji's skills were incredible. For someone else, it might have taken even longer to make this much progress. Naruto was confident in Neji's abilities. He knew he could handle whatever was thrown his way. Even if it took years for Neji's memories to return, he would know how to fight and might even be back to his usual fighting self. Naruto believed that. He believed that Neji would be able to fight like his old self even if he could not remember anything about himself.

"Neji could go years and years without knowing who he really is but his skills will be like if that wasn't the case," Naruto said to himself. "In a few years, there might not be a difference between his fighting style from before he lost his memory. So on the surface, it would be like nothing's changed."

Only on the surface. Naruto knew that Neji would be suffering on the inside. Going through life never knowing who he truly was must be agony. Even if Neji could function and live a normal life as he did before, things would not be the same. He would still be confused. Neji might be able to accept what's happened to him and play it off as if it didn't matter, but Naruto knew better. Neji could try convincing himself that it wasn't a big deal and that he was fine with living without his memories, but Naruto knew deep down Neji would be suffering.

"Even if things seem to be ok, he needs his memories. They're so important. He can't go through life without them. That's no life. No way to be. I can't see Neji be happy like that. Even if he says he's fine with it, I know it's a lie." Naruto clenched his fists. "I have to get his memories back. Sai's, too. And Kakashi-sensei's..."

A few steps away, Sai was working on his own training. He drew a picture of a butterfly in ink and lay the scroll on the grassy knoll. He made the hand-sign Naruto showed him and said the words, "Ninja Art, Super Beast Scroll."

The butterfly didn't so much as twitch.

"Super Beast Scroll," Sai said again a little more forcefully.

It didn't budge.

Sai gave the scroll a shake, as if to fling the image into the air. "Come on. Super Beast Scroll!"

Nothing happened.

Sai clenched his jaw. Neji had made so much progress and Sai was still struggling. If only he could get this to work. If he could just make the image lift off the page, then he and Neji would be on equal ground.

"Super Beast Scroll!"

The butterfly did not move.

Sai jostled the scroll again. "Come to life! Please, come to life!" He lay the scroll flat and hung his head. "Just move. Please... Just do something."

"Sai?"

He didn't look up. He hunched over the scroll and kept his back turned. "It's not working. No matter what I do, I just can't..."

Sakura crouched down and put a hand on his back. "It's ok, Sai. It's a really advanced jutsu. And you're the only one I've ever seen use it."

"If I could just make it move, then I would..." Sai shuddered as if he were crying. "Neji and I started out the same and now he's so far ahead of me. I have to catch up."

"Sai, it's not-"

"It's not just about pride or whatever you were about to say. It's also because of this mission. I'm a ninja, too, so I should be doing my part. Instead, I have to run away and hide. Everyone else has to protect me." Sai lifted his head and looked into Sakura's eyes. "I want to be able to fight on my own. I want to be like my old self again. What I was like before."

"Sai..."

"If I am a strong ninja like you all say, I want to see it. I want to know what I'm capable of by actually doing it rather than knowing I could and not doing anything at all."

Sakura looked down at the scroll. "You know, Sai... Instead of working on your signature move, why don't you try perfecting your other skills?"

"Other skills?" Sai looked intrigued.

"Yeah. Naruto showed you hand-to-hand combat, right? You also have that blade on your back you've used many times. Being able to bring your art to life isn't your only skill. You have other talents as well. So instead of focusing all your time on just this one thing, why not work on some other things?"

Sai looked away as if he wasn't convinced.

"At least then, you would be able to know how to do something," Sakura added. "And keep in mind, Neji is still unable to use his Byakugan. So in a way, you two are still on equal ground. Your jutsu and his Byakugan. Neither of you can use those skills yet. So I think it's best for you to hone your other skills first before trying something like that. If you stay focused on just that one thing, you'll never get anything else done. Work on different things. That way, you'll most likely improve on something."

Sai nodded his head. "You're right. I should probably do that. I mean, what's the point in having this blade with me if I can't use it?"

Sakura smiled. "There, you see? That's good thinking." She patted him on the back. "There's always a silver lining."

Sakura stood up and walked away, leaving Sai to his own devices.

Sai rolled up the scroll and took out his knife instead. Naruto had shown him how to use kunai, but not something this long and heavy. This was more like a tiny sword than anything, in his opinion.

Rather than start swinging an unfamiliar blade, Sai looked around to see if there was anyone around who was more skilled at using such a thing.

"Can anyone show me how to use this thing?"

* * *

Shikamaru moved as quickly as he could through the forest. Kiba had told them that Kakashi's scent had come from this direction. Hopefully, he and the rest of the group had been traveling in a straight line. If they moved off this path, then the trail would be lost and Shikamaru would be heading in the wrong direction.

He stopped to survey the area. Trees, trees and more trees. Maybe this wasn't the right way. Maybe the group had been traveling in a straight line up to this point but had veered from a different direction from their base. He looked from left to right, hoping to spot something helpful. When nothing jumped out at him, he continued in a straight line.

Just as he was starting to wonder if he should have waited for Kiba and Akamaru to bring them a little closer to the exact location, Shikamaru noticed something through the trees on his right. He quickly jumped to the tree on his right and kept going. He stood on a branch of the closest tree to what he spotted.

It was a cave. A cave in the bottom of a tree-covered hill. It was so well-hidden, he may never have noticed it if it weren't for the rocks framing the opening. The rocks stood out in this forest of trees and grass. The opening itself wasn't obvious. It looked like nothing more than a shadow. If the rocks hadn't drawn his eye, he would have never investigated.

Now that he was right on top of it, he could see the opening. He jumped down, landing beside the rocks. He carefully inched his way over to the opening and peered inside. He could feel a cold wind on his face. This cave was deep. He looked around to make sure no one was watching him then crept inside.

Once inside, he realized the cave itself was very small. It could barely hold four people, let alone everyone in Kakashi's group. As he moved, Shikamaru discovered something in the shadows. There was a hole in the group, hidden by the darkness. Anyone peering in from the rocks would have never seen it. They would have to be inside to spot it.

Shikamaru dropped to his knees and looked into the hole. There were stairs leading down a long corridor. This must have led to their base.

He could leave now and tell the others what he had found, but Shikamaru wanted to learn more. Who knew what he could discover?

Daring, he entered the corridor and walked down the steps. They led deep underground. It got colder the further he went. At the bottom of the steps, there was a long corridor with a high ceiling. He followed it until he came to two divided paths. Both were lit which meant someone must have been here. He studied them both, then chose the one on the left.

It may have been foolish, but he didn't want to turn back. He knew how to avoid capture and how to prevent being seen. Once he found out more about this place, he could leave and report his findings. Then he could bring a whole team with him and explore even more of this place. That was the plan.

Pressing his back to the wall, Shikamaru entered the long corridor. From floor to ceiling, there was nothing but wood. At the end of the corridor, there was a large room with stone walls but the floor and ceiling were wood. After making sure the coast was clear, Shikamaru entered the large room.

Turning in a circle, he realized that he was surrounded by doors, each leading to a different place. He wasn't sure where any of these passages would take him, but he had to investigate. He chose one and followed it to a large hall. There was a small staircase in front of him and another staircase descending to a lower level. He went down to the lower level where another path greeted him. He entered another room with a single chair sitting at the top of another small staircase.

"A throne room?" Shikamaru thought it was out of place, but this could have just been a personification of the leader's ego. It was a symbol of power, which the leader wanted to show off to others, making sure they knew who was in charge. It was extravagant and unnecessary. No doubt the leader of this group thought highly of himself.

Shikamaru left the room and went down a different corridor. This one brought him back to the hall he was in before. He chose a different path this time. It brought him down to another lower level. Another door. Another corridor. This place was like a maze.

This corridor took him to another large room but it wasn't as big as the throne room. Shikamaru looked around at the unfurnished room. There was another level to it. A staircase with no guardrail took him up to a second level. Shikamaru stayed close to the wall and moved slowly. If he was going to a higher level, an enemy could spot him if he wasn't careful. The last thing he wanted was for his face to peer over the top of the steps and be spotted by the group's leader.

This staircase was a lot longer than the others. He had no idea what was lurking ahead.

"Who's there?"

Shikamaru froze.

Was he caught? Who spotted him? It was a male voice. It didn't sound threatening. Maybe they didn't see him yet.

"Hello?" the voice called.

Shikamaru did not answer. He pressed his back to the wall and held his breath.

"Boss?" The voice sounded curious. "Is that you?"

Shikamaru knew if he didn't move to a new location, he would get caught.

There was something odd, though. It was the voice. The voice sounded further away and wasn't getting any closer. Whoever this speaker was, he wasn't moving.

Either the person was lazy or trapped.

Finally, the voice said, "You're not the boss, are you?"

Shikamaru did not answer. He didn't know how much longer he could hold his breath.

"It's ok. I know you're not. The boss would have said something by now. Whoever you are, you can come out. He's not here."

Shikamaru started to breathe again. Slowly and quietly.

"Of course... You're probably here looking for him. Am I right?"

Shikamaru lowered himself to the stairs and crawled up one step at a time. This way, his footsteps wouldn't make any noise and he could see who was at the top of the steps before being spotted himself.

He peered over the top step and saw no one. Just another large room. He lifted his head to get a better look. The room had another sunken level at the bottom of three steps. There was a path directly in front of him. A narrow corridor twisting behind the wall and far from his sight.

"Are you looking for the boss?" asked the voice.

It wasn't coming from the corridor in front of him. It was coming from his right at the bottom of the sunken room.

Still on his stomach, Shikamaru peered around the corner to his right. He couldn't see anyone.

"I know you're there," said the male voice. "There's no point in hiding. Why don't you come out?"

Curiosity, not obedience, caused Shikamaru to approach. He stepped onto the first step and slid his foot to the next. He stood on the last step with his back against the wall. There was no one in this room.

Where was that voice coming from?

His slid his hand along the wall as he moved slowly to his right. His hand brushed against metal and he stopped.

Metal? In a room full of wood and stone? That seemed out of place. Unless...

Shikamaru leaned forward and saw what was to his right.

A cage.

Shikamaru looked at the wall he had his back against. Only a part of it was an actual wall. The other part was a wall of thick metal bars. On the other side of these bars was a tiny room and the voice was coming from inside.

"About time." The voice was coming from inside the cage alright. The voice was much clearer now. "Sneaking around, huh? Don't deny it. You wouldn't be moving like that if you weren't."

Shikamaru did not want the person inside to see him so he did not get any closer. He pressed his back against the wall again and stayed quiet.

"What's your name?"

Shikamaru ignored the voice coming through the trellis gaps.

"Come on. Don't be like that. I already know you're trespassing. So what's the harm in telling me your name? It's not like it could make things any worse for you. Well, except in the fact that I will know who's trespassing. But you can at least talk to me. If I already know you're there, there's no reason to keep silent anymore."

The voice had a point.

Shikamaru wanted to know who this person was. It couldn't have been the leader of the group since the voice had asked if it was the boss entering the room when Shikamaru entered. That pretty much confirmed it.

This person was also in a cage, which meant he must have been a prisoner.

A prison for what crimes? Or any crimes? He might have been put in here for disobedience or because he was dangerous. He might have also been trespassing and had gotten caught.

"Why don't you tell me your name first?" asked Shikamaru.

"Oh, so you can talk."

"Do you have a name or what?"

"Jumon."

"Jumon?"

"That's me. And yours?"

"I'd rather not say for now."

"Fair enough."

Shikamaru had to get more information. "So why are you in that cell?"

"I'd rather not say for now."

Shikamaru huffed at hearing his own words thrown back at him.

"So why are you here?" asked Jumon. "You're looking for the boss, right?"

"... Yeah. I am."

"Well, he's not here and I don't know where he is. He comes and goes from time to time. If you stick around, you might get lucky and catch him when he comes to bring me food. I get fed twice a day."

"Like a dog."

"Even dogs get scraps."

Shikamaru didn't have time to pity him. "So what can you tell me about this place? I've already had a good look around but you're the only person I've managed to find."

"Like I said, I have no idea where the boss is."

"Can you tell me anything?" Shikamaru looked at the metal bars caging in Jumon. "I might be able to let you out of here if you help me out."

"That's fine."

"I could even let you out right now. You don't have to tell me anything. I can free you and-"

"No!" snapped Jumon.

His voice made Shikamaru flinch.

"I have to stay in here," said Jumon.

"Why?"

"I don't want to answer that."

At least not yet. Shikamaru knew he could wear Jumon down and get more information out of him.

* * *

Who is this boy? Why is he in a cage?

Please review! ^-^


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16:**

The group returned to their base as instructed. Their boss had need of them.

None of them noticed Shizuka's anxious expression as they entered the long staircase to the corridor. He followed them on muscle memory, his mind focused on other things. He was so distracted, he almost forgot he was in the throne room. He was already in a kneeling position, but he had done this countless times he didn't have to think about it anymore. What brought him back to his senses was his boss's voice.

Startled, Shizuka looked up and realized where he was for the first time. He quickly lowered his head again and tried to focus on his boss's voice.

"We have not killed any of them yet, sir," said Suzume. "Shall we go back out while they are still weakened?"

"No," said their boss. "I called you back for another reason. This time, it is not to find fault in your work, but rather as the result of some intense thinking."

They were curious, but none of them spoke.

"You mentioned a wood-style user, correct? Has he displayed any other skills? What of the others? By this time, you should have been able to see a lot more of their power. Anyone jump out at you?"

Yari wanted to mention the vibe he got from facing the blond ninja but he kept it to himself for fear of being deemed a weak coward. Even so, that boy was different. Mentioning him to the boss was very tempting. Was it worth it, though? He would either be ridiculed or the boss would be pleased to hear this information. Since he had seen no great power but rather sensed a mysterious air about him, Yari concluded that it was more likely that he would receive ridicule instead of praise. He kept the information to himself.

The others admitted that other than the shadow-user and the wood-user, no one displayed any extraordinary abilities. They were ninja displaying average abilities overall.

Their boss nodded his head. "I see." He sat back in his chair, casting his face in shadow. "Then I've decided to try something a little different this time. Aside from those two, you may kill the others. As for the wood and shadow ninja, I want them brought to me alive. I'll decide what to do with them later."

"Yes, sir," they said at once.

Kill the rest? That included Naruto, the blond ninja. Shizuka found himself feeling concern for the boy. But why? He didn't know him.

But he seemed to know Kakashi. Was that why he cared? If the boy was gone, what would happen to Kakashi? What was their story?

The group was dismissed and they all left the throne room. Shizuka followed, but his mind was elsewhere. He opted to go to his room the first chance he got to think. He had a lot to sort out.

* * *

Shikamaru shifted, finding the cold ground uncomfortable to sit on for a long period of time. He didn't have much of a choice if he wanted to get more information out of Jumon. He questioned him slowly, hoping to gain his trust. They made small talk at first and Shikamaru gradually began to ask him more questions.

They communicated quietly through the bars of Jumon's prison. He still wouldn't explain why he was locked up in the first place. However, Jumon was becoming a little more open as the conversation went on.

"Even while imprisoned, I can tell you have a lot of skills. You sensed me right away," Shikamaru told him. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were a ninja as well."

Jumon answered after only a few seconds this time. "I am."

"I knew it. What village?"

"We weren't a recognized ninja village," Jumon told him. "We were a normal civilian village, but my family had ninja skills. There were a couple other families who had promising people who may become ninjas someday. The head of our village wanted us to become a ninja village in order to bring in more money. If people paid us to go on missions for them, there would be a steady income which would aid all of us, not just the head of the village. But you can't just become a ninja village. Apparently, there's a need for certification. Lots of paperwork and stuff like that."

"Yeah, I bet." Shikamaru asked him another question while they were on the subject. "You had ninja skills, huh? What kind of jutsu did you use? Your family."

Jumon's pauses were getting less frequent. "We made our own. My father's side once worked with a clan from a different village. We knew this clan called the Yamanaka generations ago. Have you heard of them?"

Shikamaru nodded. "Small world. I have a Yamanaka on my team. We work well together."

"I see." Based on his tone of voice, Jumon must have been smiling. "We tried to duplicate their mind manipulation techniques. My clan developed through much trial and error a jutsu that effects memory. That became our family's jutsu."

Shikamaru grew excited. If Sai and Neji developed amnesia, then Jumon must have been the cause. He could also be the one responsible for Kakashi's condition. He was sitting right next to the person who not only could have caused all this but could also reverse it. Jumon could have been the cure.

"Your jutsu wouldn't happen to cause memory loss, would it?" he asked.

"It does. But it's more complicated than that."

"Oh? How so?"

Jumon didn't pause at all this time. "My jutsu can selectively erase memories. One or more at a time. I can even create false memories to replace those which were taken."

"False memories?" Shikamaru already suspected what this meant, but he wanted to be sure. "So you can convince people to believe they're someone else?"

"I guess you could say that," said Jumon. "I can insert a false memory to make them remember something that never happened but since the memory is there they would believe it to be true."

"So you could convince people that they were from another village, correct?"

"Yes."

"You can even make them believe they are friends with someone they have never met using this technique, right?"

"Yes, again."

So that's what happened to Kakashi. Jumon was responsible. He gave Kakashi false memories to make him think he was loyal to another group of ninja.

"Let me explain my jutsu so there can be no further question," said Jumon. "New memories can be inserted and others can be selectively erased. Altering memory can only occur while the intended target is asleep because then the mind can wander and be easily manipulated while a conscious mind is more focused and harder to manipulate using this jutsu. That's the gist of it."

Shikamaru understood. Kakashi must have been asleep when Jumon used his jutsu on him. He selectively erased any memories of the Leaf Village and his friends but wanted Kakashi to remember his ninja training so he still knew how to fight. That was why Kakashi still knew his name and his jutsu. Jumon kept those memories intact.

This explained a lot, but not everything.

"If you are in this cell, how did you use the jutsu?"

"I can cast this jutsu over a two-mile radius. I don't have to be on top of the person I'm trying to use it on, however, it will affect everyone in the area by doing this. As long as they are asleep." Then Jumon asked him a question. "How did you know I used my jutsu?"

"A few of my friends started acting weird. One of them happens to be running around with a strange group of ninja who use this as their base. His name is Kakashi."

Jumon sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry about your friend."

"Why did you do it?"

Jumon curled into a ball.

"Please tell me."

He sighed and answered after a long pause. "The boss told me to."

"The one ordering them around?"

Jumon nodded.

"That's why you're in this cell." Shikamaru looked up at the iron bars. "He's using you. You're his tool."

"Yes." Jumon sighed again. "He told me about a week ago, I guess, to cast my jutsu over the area. He wanted an army. I did as he told me. A while later, a bunch of ninja came here and called him 'boss' so they must have been the ones in the area."

That must have been Kakashi and those other ninja they had been fighting. They were all victims.

But if this jutsu effected those who were asleep, then what about Neji and Sai? Their condition was a little different.

"I have two other friends who have been acting weird," Shikamaru told him. "They woke up in the morning but had total amnesia. Can you explain that?"

Jumon nodded. "My jutsu takes a lot of chakra to perform. The further I cast it, the more chakra it takes. If I use my jutsu over the two-mile radius and both select and replace the memories of those effected, then I won't be able to use my jutsu again for the next couple of days. It takes just about all my chakra. I can barely move after that. After I used my jutsu, the boss came to me and told me to do it again. I told him that I had not yet recovered and needed another day, but he refused to listen. I performed the jutsu but ran out of chakra before I could finish."

"Which meant..?"

"I had just enough to erase memories, but I couldn't replace them. I only made it half-way. Since I couldn't finish, it resulted in total amnesia."

"You erased them but couldn't insert false memories so now Neji and Sai have amnesia. You intended to turn them into what you made Kakashi and those other men. You just ran out of time and chakra."

"I'm sorry."

"I managed to dodge the jutsu because I was awake. Naruto woke up, too, so the jutsu didn't affect him either. But Kakashi… Neji, Sai…"

Jumon lowered his head. "I'm sorry about your friends. I wouldn't have done that if I hadn't been ordered."

"Why are you listening to this guy anyway?"

Jumon turned his head the other way. "I don't want to answer that."

Shikamaru knew that Jumon needed time. Just like his jutsu, Jumon needed time to recover. But recover from what?

Why was he in the cell? Was it just to use him and keep him from running off? How did this boss person find Jumon in the first place? Why did he not want to answer him?

There were still so many questions he needed answers to. He just had to be patient.

* * *

Shizuka couldn't sleep. His mind was still buzzing.

That photograph made no sense at all. In the photo, Kakashi was wearing a Leaf headband. He was standing with three children with the same headband. He was smiling with them. He seemed fond of them.

But that was impossible.

"We've never been to the Leaf Village before this week," Shizuka said aloud. "That was our first time. That picture was from a couple years ago. But Kakashi has always been with me. He was never there. Certainly not years ago, and definitely not long enough to make friends with some Leaf children."

There must have been a reasonable explanation. The photo could have been a fake. No, it couldn't have been. It could have been a look-alike. A look-alike with the same exact name and abilities? No way. It could have been a clone Kakashi sent to the village in his place. No, a clone would never last that long. What reason would Kakashi have to send one to the Leaf anyway?

None of this made any sense at all.

"I don't get it. That kid knew Kakashi by name. Kakashi says he doesn't know him. But the photo. And he has been acting weird lately. But he's never been to the Leaf before. I would know. All of us would know. We'd notice him missing for sure. He would never have the time to do this. But that kid is being sincere. I can tell. And the photo."

Again with the photo. That perplexing, mysterious photo. It contradicted everything he knew.

Now Shizuka had more questions than answers and couldn't find rest. He had to figure this out but the more he thought about it, the more overwhelmed he became. It made no sense. He had all the facts, he knew the truth. It was just that photo that was throwing him off. That was the only piece of the puzzle that didn't fit.

"When would he have time to take that stupid photo in the first place? None of us have time. We train and eat together. The boss calls us in for meetings. We're doing assignments. I mean, we're always together. As far back as I can remember. I mean, I can't remember a time when we didn't…"

Shizuka stopped. His eyes grew wide. He sat up in bed.

"That's just it. I… I can't remember a time when we weren't doing the same thing all the time. A time when we weren't together doing what we do day in and day out."

That was the problem. He remembered the fact that they were always doing the same time and that Kakashi had always been with them. However, he couldn't remember individual events.

Knowing they were always doing this but being unable to recall specific events that had taken place was perplexing.

He remembered eating every day, but he couldn't remember what he had for his meals. He couldn't have had the same thing every day, could he? Even if he did, what was it? He could only remember the meals from this past week and not before.

He remembered being with Kakashi from the time they were children. What did he look like back then? He couldn't remember what either of them looked like as children. It wasn't that long ago, was it? Surely, he could remember a little bit of it. But he couldn't.

He remembered training together, but he couldn't remember what they learned in training or when. Only that he had been trained. He didn't remember if there was someone who picked it up faster than others, or someone who kept messing up and got laughed at. He didn't recall any such event taking place.

He could remember the overview, but not the content. Not unique moments, not specific events. No details. Just a condensed summarization.

Like remembering the acts to a play, but not the scenes. Knowing he had seen a movie but being unable to know what happened in the story. Unable to recall character quotations, their struggles, what they endured. He just knew the end result.

This wasn't normal. Other people could recall what they did in childhood, but he could not. They could remember what they did last week, but he couldn't. He knew things happened, but the details were lost.

"Why can't I remember that? Is every single day so boring and redundant that they all blend together?"

This week was fine. But the week prior and beyond…

It wasn't replicated. It wasn't the same. He couldn't recall details. Not like this week.

Was there something wrong with him?

Shizuka got off the bed. Maybe he could talk to his boss about this. Maybe he could shed some light on the situation.

He stopped.

"Wait." Shizuka stood in the middle of the room. "Everything keeps coming back to the boss. I know I'm loyal to him, but why? What transpired in the past to make me want to be loyal in the first place?" He couldn't remember that either.

That's when he decided to do some digging and not inform the boss. Not until he had things figured out.

But where to start?

The boss. Of course. He had an office he kept secret from all of them. They were never allowed to go in which was why whenever they had to meet they did it in the throne room.

Something wasn't right with their boss. Shizuka suspected he may have been hiding things from them. The lack of details in his memories and the things he did remember made him believe his boss couldn't be trusted. He might have had something to do with all this.

"I can't remember certain things. Certain details of events. That boy says he knows Kakashi and has a photo of them together, but Kakashi says he doesn't know him. If I'm experiencing lapses in memory, then maybe Kakashi is also suffering but doesn't know it. Hell, I wouldn't have suspected anything if I hadn't seen that photo. Something's going on around here."

He had to find answers.

* * *

Shikamaru had to get more information out of Jumon but pressing him too hard could cause him to shut down completely. He decided not to ask him anymore questions for a while and just sat in silence on the cold floor. When Jumon was ready to talk, he who be the one to break the silence.

"Your friends," said Jumon after a fashion. "How are they fairing?"

Shikamaru was truthful in his answer. "They came with us on our mission. Even if they don't remember anything, they still wanted to come along. They want answers. They want to remember."

"I see. I'm sorry. It must be hard for all of you. They must be worried they're getting in the way of your mission."

"If you're that concerned, why don't you reverse this?"

"I can't," said Jumon. "They would have to be asleep in order for me to reverse this. And curing complete amnesia is difficult. It's complicated. Unless they were brought to me, I would have to use a lot of chakra on them from a distance on top of the chakra it would already take to use the jutsu."

"But you can do it?"

"I could."

"But you won't?"

"I already told you why. Besides, if I were to do it and use up all that chakra, the boss would know. If he comes down here and asks me to perform again and I can't, he'll know I used the jutsu without his consent."

Shikamaru chose to pry a little more now that Jumon was in a talking mood. "How long have you worked for him?"

Jumon's shoulders went up and down in a shrug. "About a month, I guess."

"In all that time, have you ever learned his name?"

Jumon paused. "Seigi. His name is Seigi, but he wants everyone to call him 'boss', so…"

That name didn't raise any red flags. Shikamaru had never heard of him and he didn't remember seeing it on the registry for missing nin or anyone in a bingo book. He might have found one who slipped through the cracks.

"You've been with him for a month, huh? And he's made you use your jutsu a couple of times, right?"

"Yes."

"And he's kept you in this cage all this time?"

"Yes, I told you that."

"I know, I'm just going over all the information again making sure I got it right." Shikamaru turned to face the cell bars. All this time, they had their backs to each other. Now he was facing him. "Jumon?"

Jumon lifted his head slightly but did not turn around. In the dim light, Shikamaru could make out his dirty clothes and long hair. It looked like he kept it short but had been unable to cut it while in the cell. It barely fell to his shoulder, but it was obvious that it had been allowed to grow during his confinement. He must have been here a while. A month seemed about right so he knew Jumon was being honest.

"I know you're in this cell because he wants to use your jutsu so you are his prisoner. But I think you're leaving something out."

"I'm also in here for my own protection," said Jumon. "Your friend Kakashi and the others don't know about me. The memories I replaced have made them ruthless. The boss, Seigi, believes that they would not hold back if they found me. I'm an easy target and good for target practice. So I'm in here to keep me from them. Or rather them from me."

"No, there's more to it than that." Shikamaru moved closer to speak through the metal bars of Jumon's cage. "You could easily refuse to help Seigi. You keep saying you're sorry, but you did it anyway because he ordered you to. I know you don't want to do this. I can tell. But you are anyway. There's a reason."

"He could kill me if I don't obey."

"What good does that do him?" asked Shikamaru. "Alive or dead, you won't use your jutsu and he needs it. At least alive, he has a decent chance. But if you're dead, there goes any hopes he has of using it. I doubt he'd kill you, knowing what he would be sacrificing. And you're smart. I know you thought of that, too, so you can't be that worried about him killing you over your refusal."

Jumon lowered his head. "He can beat me. Starve me."

"Those are just threats. He still needs you so he wouldn't do anything to jeopardize your condition. He needs you in working order." Shikamaru leaned closer. "Jumon, I know there's a reason you're helping him. I know you feel you don't have a choice. And it's not because of anything he can physically do to you."

Jumon refused to answer.

"It's your home, isn't it?" Shikamaru said softly. "He threatened your family. It's some form of blackmail, isn't it? It has something to do with your home and your family. I'm sure of it."

Jumon curled into a ball. As soon as Shikamaru saw this, he knew he was right. His body language said it all.

"Yeah…" Jumon started to lift his head. "You're right. But you don't know the whole story. I have no other option but to help him. And I'm going to tell you why."

* * *

Please review!


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17:**

Shizuka silently move down the hall, using the ceiling as his pathway. He was sure everyone else was asleep by now, but he couldn't be sure. He also didn't know where his boss slept and didn't want to risk getting caught by him.

He moved quickly to the forbidden room and carefully entered. The dark room was empty and silent. No one was here. After closing the door and making sure he was alone, Shizuka dropped from the ceiling and landed behind the lone desk by the wall. The top was covered by numerous maps and pens. He didn't want to disturb anything from the desk for fear the boss would notice. Besides, if there was anything the boss wanted to keep secret, he would have it hidden. The top of a desk wasn't the place.

Shizuka carefully opened the drawers and rummaged inside, keeping things in the correct order he found them. There was nothing odd in any of the drawers. That is, until he got to the one on the right.

At first, it was the same as the others. But then he found something shoved in the far back of the drawer. Some sort of cloth. He pulled it out and held it in his hand.

A Leaf headband. It was the same one Kakashi was wearing in the photograph.

That photo was telling the truth. Kakashi was from the Leaf Village. That blond boy was his friend and student.

Kakashi was being forced to fight people he knew.

Shizuka's grip tightened on the headband in anger. He felt a sense of betrayal. At first, he thought it was because he thought he knew his friend but discovered that it had all been a lie. Then he realized that wasn't it. He knew he was friends with Kakashi. That feeling and belief he still trusted. He still wanted to help Kakashi. If he were angry at him, he wouldn't want to do that.

No, his anger was directed at their boss. How dare he hurt Kakashi like this. How dare he do this to the people who cared about him. The boss was responsible for Kakashi's confusion and pain.

The boss obviously knew about Kakashi's true identity. Why else would he hide the evidence where he knew no one would go? He had Kakashi's headband. He knew.

Shizuka closed the drawer, but kept the headband. He stuffed it into his shirt and left the room.

He had to right this wrong. For Kakashi. For his friend.

He could have showed him the headband now, but that was foolish. Not with the boss so close. This had to be done elsewhere. And Kakashi had to see the photo. That's what the boy wanted. Besides, if Shizuka knew his friend as much as he thought he did, he knew Kakashi wouldn't believe them without a lot of evidence. The headband wasn't enough on its own. He had to see the photo was well. That was the only way any of this would make any sense to him.

Shizuka decided that that's what he was going to do. The next time they were dispatched, he would show Kakashi the truth.

* * *

All his life, Kakashi had only ever known one thing: to fight. He spent his whole life training. He as well as many other hardworking ninja. Including Shizuka. From the time he was young, Shizuka and Kakashi had been good friends. They trained together and became strong together. They both worked under the same boss all their lives. They were devoted to their boss, just like the other ninja they worked alongside.

Neither of them knew much about their families so they had a number of things in common in addition to their training. Their boss was strong and wanted only success from those who worked under him. When he was dissatisfied or particularly angry, he would lash out at those responsible. He could be very cruel when he wanted to be so everyone knew to make sure they did not fail. If the ninja was not strong enough, they would receive a beating. However, their boss could also be merciful and kind when he wanted to be. He took good care of all those who followed him. For these reasons, the ninja were very faithful to him. That, and because they all had reasons to follow him. They were fighting for the same goal and they all longed to be strong and this man could give it to them.

Kakashi respected his boss as well as feared him. He had been beaten several times in the past for his weakness and learned obedience. Now he was strong and loyal. He would not displease his boss. He had no reason to anyway. His boss was only cruel when he had to be. The man took good care of him and raised him from the time he was small and turned him into a great ninja. He was very grateful to him for this. It was also his boss who gave him an amazing gift: the Sharingan. It was his boss who operated on him and gave him his magnificent left eye. It proved useful many times in battle and gave him an edge no one else had. Kakashi vowed never to let such a gift go to waste. He would use this power to fulfill his boss's every wish.

At times, Shizuka would tease Kakashi about his eye. Since Kakashi always wore an eye-patch over it, Shizuka would comment that it made him look like a pirate. He would often ask him if he could borrow its power to please the boss so he could be the leader's pet. He didn't mean any of it seriously. He just wanted to see Kakashi's reaction. Shizuka teased him mercilessly when they were children but since then the teasing had mellowed out.

Though Kakashi never admitted it out loud, he knew he and Shizuka were best friends. They went on many missions together and watched over each other in battle. There were several other ninja they worked with, but Kakashi had to admit that he preferred working alongside Shizuka more than the others. They all worked well together, but Kakashi just liked Shizuka the best. Perhaps it was because they trained together as children and became close through that training.

Their boss didn't want relationships in the group, fearing that it would make working together difficult, so many of them didn't display their feelings publicly. Certainly not in front of the boss. The boss was fine with a mild friendship and encouraged teamwork, but anything more than that he felt would be problematic. He wanted to keep things professional.

"I don't want someone to refuse to go on a mission because their friend wasn't assigned or because someone had a falling out. You are all ninja so act like it. None of this slumber party nonsense. How inviting this person will upset this one and if we don't invite that one than this one won't show up and so on. I don't want any of that nonsense. Keep your minds on the mission and work together. Got that?"

That is what their boss told them on several occasions. Friendships were fine as long as they didn't become obsessions. Or interfere with the task at hand. Which was another reason why only men were allowed to follow under his command. No females to distract the male ninja.

Though the rules weren't written out or very specific, they all knew what was allowed and what wasn't.

Kakashi and Shizuka remained friends but professional. As long as the mission got done and they worked well with the other ninja, there would be no issue.

They all worked well together. They all did as they were told under their boss's command.

Kakashi and Shizuka, along with Supaisu, Yari, Hebi, Suzume and their boss Seigi.

* * *

Jumon began to tell Shikamaru all about his past. His family, his village and how he ended up here in this cage.

"I lived in the village with my parents and my little sister. It was our family jutsu that made the head of our village think he could have the place recognized as a ninja village and get money for missions. Our family was revered for our jutsu because of this. With so many non-ninja living there, they were very enthused. Those who showed promise for the ninja arts were impressed with us being able to create our own jutsu. Needless to say, we were well-respected."

Jumon's expression changed when he spoke about his sister next.

"My sister always wanted her way and could be very impulsive. She wanted to learn the jutsu at the same time as me rather than waiting another couple of years. She got her way, as usual. If she was in my room and I wanted her to leave and she didn't want to, she would start screaming and calling for help, lying that I was hurting her, though I never touched her. Naturally, my parents told me to let her do as she pleased. If I had a toy she wanted, I had to give it to her. If I had my name on the last pudding cup, she would eat it anyway and think I had no right to be upset."

"She sounds like a brat to me," Shikamaru said quietly.

"She is. Always was." Jumon sighed and went on with his story. "One day, she wanted to play with me and my friends but we already had enough people for the game we had already started and told her she couldn't. That night, she used the jutsu on everyone in the village to make them hate the clan and make them think they were bad people. She thought it was funny how my friends no longer wanted anything to do with me and said I should have thought of this before I refused to let her play with us."

"That's awful," said Shikamaru. "She replaced all their memories of you and your clan with negative ones? All false? Didn't she know what would happen? Didn't she see the seriousness of it?"

"She didn't care," said Jumon. "My parents even begged her to reverse it when they found out. She dispelled the jutsu when she was good and ready. When she felt like it."

"But it did get reversed?"

"Yes." Jumon looked down. "Not that it mattered. Then everyone had fear for the clan anyway because they saw its terrifying power. They started to doubt if they were really who they thought and if this reality was even true. They thought everything could have been a lie. Like when she used it on them."

"I see. That would make sense. I guess they would have a fear for you now. I'm sorry."

Jumon went on as if he hadn't heard him. "To prevent such a thing from happening again, they killed the clan, leaving only me and my sister alive."

"What?" Shikamaru was shocked to hear such a thing. "Are you serious?"

Jumon nodded. "I was coming home when I saw what they had done. I grabbed my sister and we ran. They chased us. We finally managed to get away, but we could never return. On top of which, my sister had been hurt in the attack. I had barely noticed when I grabbed her. Running had aggravated her injuries and made them much worse. I tried to treat her, but I have no medical skills."

"What did you do?"

"I carried her through the woods, trying to find someone who could help. I had no idea where we were or how far it was to the next village. I wandered around praying for something to come along and help us. She was getting worse by the second."

Shikamaru knew what was coming next. "The boss."

"Yes," Jumon said with a nod. "He found us. I begged him to help us. He brought us to this place and started to treat my sister. He said that she had gotten an infection from her wounds and had a fever. She was ill. He wanted to know what happened so I told him. I had to tell him about the jutsu because he wanted to know why we were attacked in the first place."

"That's how he found out."

"Yes. And eventually we worked out a deal. He said he would help my sister if I helped him."

The boss had Jumon's sister locked up somewhere else, promising to treat the injuries and illness she got while making their escape. So long as Jumon serves him, she will be kept alive and helped. That is why Jumon must obey.

"So that's why." Shikamaru sat with his back to the bars. "I'm so sorry. Hearing all that…"

"I cannot abandon my sister. She's all I have left," said Jumon. "I must do as the boss says. I can't lose her, too. She's my little sister. You understand, right?"

Actually, he didn't.

Shikamaru didn't have any siblings but that wasn't why he was having trouble understanding this.

It was Jumon's story. From the sound of things, his sister was a selfish brat and had been for years. She made Jumon miserable. Why would he go so far to help her? Shikamaru thought there would be some resentment involved.

Maybe it was the love between siblings. He didn't understand that kind of love. Perhaps siblings could forgive each other, even after they escalate beyond simple teasing and pranks. The bond between siblings was strong. Maybe Jumon was overlooking all of the things his sister had done simply because they were family and they loved each other. Maybe it was because she was all the family he had left.

Even so, Shikamaru wasn't satisfied. Something about Jumon's story didn't sit well with him.

After using the jutsu to turn everyone against them and eventually cause the clan's demise, why would he go so far to help her?

Shikamaru expected a little resentment. Even a cold shoulder. Maybe he was overthinking it. Maybe Jumon was just being a good older brother.

It didn't matter. Shikamaru had more important things to worry about.

* * *

The team of ninja knelt before their boss, awaiting orders. They were perfectly still. No matter how long their boss took to speak, none dared to raise their head.

"Find those ninja. I want the shadow-user and the wood-user. Leave those two alive. Kill the rest. Those are your orders."

"Yes. Sir!" They bowed lower. Only when the boss turned away did they depart. That was their signal.

"What do you think he plans to do with the ninja he wants alive?" asked Yari.

"Who cares?"

"I bet he's going to torture them into giving away precious secrets," said Supaisu. "Things he can use to take the Leaf down even faster."

"I bet he's going to use them to lure out other Leaf ninja," surmised Hebi. "They would do anything to protect their precious fellow ninja. The fools."

Shizuka listened silently, keeping the information he gathered to himself.

Those Leaf ninja were here for Kakashi, no doubt. What must they have thought when they saw him in this condition? What did they think of them? Did they think Kakashi was being tortured by them and in need of rescue? Did they believe Kakashi no longer cared about them? What sort of trouble would Kakashi be in? What trouble was he in now? Shizuka still didn't understand the gravity of it all. The situation and its entirety.

All he knew was that something had to be done. Kakashi needed him. He deserved to know the truth.

It was for the best.

* * *

Shikamaru froze, hearing footsteps. A group was on the move. In case they came this way, Shikamaru jumped up and hid on the ceiling. He heard the footsteps pick up the pace. They were running. Then the sound got quieter as they traveled away from his position.

"I wouldn't get too worried," said Jumon. "They don't really make it this far. But you had the right idea to keep quiet just in case. I do the same thing."

Shikamaru already suspected such a thing since as soon as he heard the footsteps, he immediately became quiet. He didn't want them finding the cell either.

After he was certain the danger was gone, Shikamaru climbed back down from the ceiling.

"They're on the move," he said. "I'll bet the boss sent them out on another mission."

"Which means he's most likely targeting your friends again," said Jumon.

"They can handle themselves." Shikamaru sat back down. "I'm not worried. Especially the way they're acting."

"They meaning your friends or them?"

"Them." Shikamaru faced the bars to talk to Jumon more directly. "I've worked with Kakashi before on missions. I know how skilled he is. What I've been seeing recently isn't it. I'm not sure how to put it but something about him seems off. It's him fighting, but not the same."

"I allowed him to keep the memories of his jutsu and fighting ability. I was instructed by the boss to do that," said Jumon. "But that's about it. Everything else was erased."

"And that would cause his fighting style to be a little off?" questioned Shikamaru. "Your boss keeps calling them away, but there's more to it than that. I know it. Like I said, he still has the skills, but it's the execution that's throwing me. It's not really going through the motions, but… It's something else."

"I already gave you the answer if you think about it," said Jumon. "His skills were left intact, but I took away everything else. All memories of the village, which would include any training he's done and all missions he's been on. He has the skills but not the experience."

"Of course," said Shikamaru. "It all makes sense now. Perfecting a jutsu takes time and practice. Using it on your own is one thing, but using it in the heat of battle is another. Then applying it to different battle situations and tweaking things is something else. Since he no longer remembers any of that stuff, all he's left with is the end result. He needs all of it in order to fight like himself. Trial and error."

It was no wonder Kakashi's fighting style as a little off. Remembering the trial and error portion of his jutsu development would have prepared him for battle a lot more than simply remembering how to perform the technique. Like reading a textbook and remembering the answers for a test. The learning wasn't complete until it could be applied to an actual situation where it was needed. The field test was necessary. Knowledge was only half the battle, the experience handled the rest.

"That way he could know what works and what doesn't. He could make his jutsu stronger. He can learn how to do more with it like I can with mine." Shikamaru smiled, shaking his head. "Kakashi is still strong, but it's not the same Kakashi we know."

"Experience is needed. He can't remember it, though. So I guess in that sense you can thank me. They should be easier to fight compared to what they were before I messed with their heads."

"I guess so. The same thing you did to him applies to the others in the group. I bet they would fight a lot differently if they remembered what they had to go through in order to get that strong. Trial and error stuff."

They were lucky. If they had to face those ninja while they were one hundred-percent, they might not have gotten this far. Kakashi's assassin training alone would have made things more difficult. If he was ordered to kill them while remembering it all, then…

A thought suddenly struck Shikamaru. "Hang on a second. They're not acting the same personality-wise either. Can messing with their memories really have an effect on their personalities? I mean, I know it can without the experience to help shape their unique person, but to this degree? I didn't think Kakashi would be so ruthless."

He remembered the conversation he had with Naruto before on personality. Kakashi was very different from Sai and Neji. He was curious about the extent of Jumon's effect over those he altered with his jutsu.

"The boss wanted them to be ruthless so they would be tougher in battle. So I gave them false memories of them always acting this way so they would think this is how they normally are and will act accordingly."

"I see. I had a feeling."

"Everyone is born with their own personality, but the experiences you have can also effect personality and help shape it."

"If that's the case, then won't Kakashi's personality, the one he was born with, conflict with the other one he developed through false memories? If he's born with a kind nature but you told him to be ruthless…"

"Again, it has to do with experience. He might have experienced something that caused him to want to turn that part of himself off. I'm sure there are parts of you that you wanted to change or turn off after you experienced something. It can work the same way for him."

"You just had to give him the false memory that prompted him to do such a thing."

"Exactly."

Shikamaru sighed.

Kakashi really wasn't Kakashi anymore. But there must have been a trace of him left. He knew it. He had seen a little bit of it. He saw bits of it in Sai and Neji as well. Even without all their memories and experiences, there was still a part of them that was so ingrained that they couldn't help themselves. They still responded the way they would have done in a normal situation. Kakashi must have been the same way. He had to be.

"If anyone can get through to him, it's Naruto."

Jumon shifted in his cell. "What was that?"

"My friend. He knows people. He can make deep connections with them. He understands them. I'm sure he could get through to Kakashi, no matter how badly you messed him up. He can appeal to the part of him that is still Kakashi. The one we all know. Maybe that's the part of him he was born with or maybe it's something else."

"What else is there but the personality from experience and personality from birth?" asked Jumon, unconvinced.

"If I know Naruto as well as I think I do, I know he'd probably say something like…" Shikamaru tried to put himself in Naruto's orange jacket and think his thoughts. Feel his feelings. "Even if you don't remember the experience, the feelings are still there. Memories are more than just memories. They're feelings. They connect us. They run deep. They can't be that easily severed."

"Your friend sounds like a hopeful guy."

Shikamaru shrugged. "I guess he is. I'm glad he has hope even if no one else does. He can get more done that way."

He knew Naruto wouldn't be the same person if he had no hope and simply gave up.

Realizing this made Shikamaru question if Jumon had given up.

* * *

Please review!


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18:**

Yamato's group stayed in a cabin he constructed from his wood. His body was still sore but he knew they had to get ready for a fight. Kakashi's group would not be merciful. He had a feeling they would attack while they were in a weakened state. With this in mind, he asked the group to be on high alert. Kiba and Neji kept watch on the second level while Ino and Sakura watched for movement from the first level.

Naruto paced the ground restlessly. His mind was racing again.

He hoped Shikamaru was alright. He wondered about the ninja he met not too long ago. His thoughts were also on Kakashi, but that was nothing new.

Sai practiced using his blade in the corner, swinging slowly at first then picking up speed. If he couldn't bring his drawings to life, he had to make do with this. He had to be ready for a fight as well.

Sai stopped and looked at his reflection in the blade. This time, he would fight. Fight as hard as Neji. Fight as a true ninja. He would not run and hide.

He felt like he was pretending to be a ninja. That everything he did was an act. Maybe if he convinced himself he was like the others, he would be able to fight on equal ground. He wouldn't be pretending. He would be one of them.

Sai looked at the headband reflected off the sword he carried and realized that he was already one of them. It just didn't feel like he was.

But that was all changing. He noticed that he was changing. Little by little, he was becoming…

Something glinted off his sword. He turned around and looked out one of the windows. Something was moving outside.

"Guys," he called quickly. "I think there's someone out there."

Kiba looked out the window and noticed a pack of slithering vines. "Everyone, get out! Now!"

Outside in the trees, Hebi engulfed the wood dwelling in vines. He wove them until the cabin looked like a ball of yarn and then pulled the vines tight. The wood cracked. Some vines started to snap, cut by the splintering wood but the attack continued. Like hands made of vines, the cabin was crushed in a green fist. The sound was almost deafening. Hebi smiled at the destruction, pleased.

Amidst the thunderous collapse, the ninja zipped into the trees and stood above Hebi.

He looked up, finding himself surrounded. "So you escaped."

"We know you didn't come here alone," said Yamato. "Where are your friends?"

"They'll be along. Why don't we have fun in the meantime?"

Yamato spotted the vines slithering towards them. He jumped from the branch, soaring toward Hebi in a solo attack.

Hebi raised his arm and a wave of vines came to block Yamato.

Yamato used his wood to block the vines then switched directions multiple times to confuse Hebi. The vines couldn't keep up. He made a wood clone of himself and sent it in one direction while he went behind Hebi.

As soon as Hebi stopped the clone, he attacked, sending vines to wrap him up like before. The clone tried to fight its way out but there was nothing it could do. Right before its face disappeared, the real Yamato sneaked up behind Hebi and grabbed him.

Seeing their ally in trouble, the rest of Hebi's group came from all directions to assist.

They took the bait. Yamato knew he could flush them out this way.

His group jumped in to help with the attack. Everyone split up to attack a different target. Some were thrown into the woods while others ran, luring them deeper into the trees. Others stood and faced off where they were.

Separated, they had a better chance at defeating this group. However, not attacking as a group and having amateurs taking part in the fight made Yamato worry if they could handle being split up like this. Since it was impossible to take down one opponent at a time in group form, he had to settle for this. He knew better than to ask for the impossible.

"It would have been ideal, but…"

Hebi freed himself and jumped away. "What were you hoping for? Everyone against me? Then once I'm down, go after us one at a time as a group? Ha! Wishful thinking. But it's nice to know that you realized that you need a whole group to take down just one of us. How flattering."

"I can still fight you one-on-one," said Yamato.

"Again with the wishful thinking." Hebi jumped to a higher branch and surrounded himself with vines. "But that's alright. I like jokes."

* * *

Shikamaru wondered how much time had passed. If the group was on the move again, then it must have been morning. How long ago was that? When did they leave again? It was hard to tell time in this underground prison.

"I don't get it," said Shikamaru. "You say you're sorry for what you did to my friends and those other people. And yet, you keep doing it. You keep doing what this guy says even when you know it's wrong and don't want to."

"I already explained to you about my sister. I have no choice," said Jumon. "If I don't serve, he will refuse to treat her. What else can I do?"

"Why don't you use that jutsu on him?" asked Shikamaru. "Make him think he works for you and keep his medical knowledge intact. That way you can force him to help your sister and not do this to innocent people."

"Don't you think I've tried that?" asked Jumon. "Of course that thought's crossed my mind. But it's impossible for me to execute it. In case you haven't noticed, this place has no windows. No glimpse to the outside world. There isn't even a clock in here. I have no idea what time of day it is. Or if it is even daytime. Days and nights blur together, making it impossible for me to tell when a new day begins."

Shikamaru was aware of this. He was having trouble figuring out how much time had passed since he came here. It could have been night for all he knew. Maybe it was the middle of the afternoon. He didn't know.

"My jutsu only works on a sleeping person," Jumon continued. "The boss stays in another part of this place. I don't know where. And since I don't know what time it is, day or night, I have no idea when he sleeps. For all I know, he sleeps during the day. He keeps strange hours. I suppose he does this to keep me confused. There's no set schedule. If I were to use my jutsu, there's no guarantee I would be catching him while he's asleep. If he's not, then I just wasted all that chakra. And as you know, it takes me a while to recover after using the jutsu. If he shows up, asking me to use the jutsu and I can't, he'll know I tried using it on him. Then what?"

Jumon's boss did make it very difficult to know when he slept. Jumon couldn't tell night from day down here. His boss kept strange hours and he made sure he was far from Jumon so he wouldn't know where he spent his free time. He made sure to keep Jumon completely in the dark. He made sure that Jumon didn't know when he was vulnerable. He was crafty.

He also kept the threat alive and well. By keeping Jumon's sister in a separate area and threatened to stop treatment that would save her life, he made sure that Jumon would continue to serve him. Doing this also prevented Jumon from running away. The cage helped with that, of course, but he knew Jumon would not abandon his injured sister and the only family he had left.

Jumon would not disobey and he would not flee. If Jumon did choose to use his jutsu on his boss, he made it very difficult for him to do so. If Jumon did not know when he slept, he could not perform the jutsu on him.

He seemed pretty stuck, Shikamaru had to admit. This Seigi person knew how to cover all his bases. Shikamaru wasn't sure how to get Jumon out of this situation.

Unless Seigi wasn't the answer.

"Jumon," Shikamaru faced the bars. "You don't have to rely on Seigi for this. You don't need him to help your sister."

"I cannot go back to the village I came from," said Jumon. "The doctor there would never treat her. If I were to try, they'll kill us for sure."

"I'm not talking about that. My village has plenty of medical personnel who can help her. She'll be in good hands. The leader of my village is very good at what she does. She came upon a hopeless case a few years ago. They said he'd never fight again, and she healed him. The procedure was dangerous, too, but he made it through just fine. Your sister can, too."

Jumon shook his head. "My sister is in bad shape. She would not survive the trip to your village. She cannot be moved. It's too dangerous."

"We can bring them here. The head of my village can come here and heal her."

Again, Jumon shook his head. "With all the fighting that's going on and knowing what I've done… You really think this leader of yours will come all this way to help her? If the boss finds out… And time is a factor here. Depending how long it would take her to get here, in addition to convincing her, she would still have to get past all the fighting and get past the boss. He will not let her near."

"There's a medic in my group. She's already here. She was trained by our leader. She's good at what she does. And she'll get here in no time at all. She can help your sister."

Jumon did not answer right away this time. He seemed to be considering his options.

This was good news for Shikamaru. If he could convince Jumon…

"But…" Jumon said slowly. "She would have to find her. And this place is a maze."

"We can find her. We will."

Jumon lifted his head. "But if the boss finds out…"

"He won't."

"But if you're rushing around down here, searching for her…"

"We're good at what we do."

"It's not enough." Jumon lowered his head again.

Shikamaru rested his forehead against the cold bars of Jumon's cell. He was so close, but Jumon would only see the negative side to everything he said. At this rate, it was going to be hopeless.

"I know where."

Shikamaru lifted his head. "What?"

Jumon turned his head. "I know where she is. The boss took me a little while ago. To prove that she was still alive and that he was treating her. He brought me to her. Showed me where she was."

"Then you know where we have to go."

Jumon nodded. "But it's impossible to describe. So many twists and turns. Long hallways leading everywhere."

Shikamaru had an idea. "Then you'll have to show me. I'll let you out of this cell and you can show me where to do."

"No. No." Jumon shook his head.

"You've been there before. You know the way."

"I can't leave," Jumon moaned. "If he finds out…"

"He won't find out."

"I can't!" Jumon shook his head furiously. "I can't risk it. She..!"

"You'll be my hostage," Shikamaru said quickly. "If he discovers us, I can say I took you as my hostage and made you lead me around. I'll already be with you, so it won't be that hard to believe."

"But… But…"

"You'll be some guy I stumbled upon while infiltrating the enemy's hideout. I took you as my hostage. I threatened to kill you unless you came with me. You did that because you knew the boss still wanted you alive. That's what happened. He'll have to believe that and you won't be in any trouble."

Jumon wasn't protesting anymore. Shikamaru knew he was getting through to him. He just had to give him one more push.

"Don't you want to see her again?"

Jumon lifted his head.

"How long has it been? You've been stuck in this cage, all the while wondering how she was. Everything you're doing you're doing for her. You deserve to see her. You have to check and see if the boss is holding up his end of the bargain."

Jumon turned his body around. For the first time since they met, Shikamaru could see his face.

He wore tattered rags for clothing and his skin was pale and sickly. Even his hair looked bleached. He looked so thin. Jumon looked like a living corpse.

"I…" Jumon began. "I want to see her."

Shikamaru nodded. "So you'll show me the way?"

Jumon hesitated, then said with confidence, "Yes."

"Good." Shikamaru had been waiting to do this for some time. He quickly picked the lock on Jumon's cell and set him free.

The metal door swung open with a creak, the hinges catching as it moved. Jumon crawled to the open door on his hands and knees. He pulled himself up on the metal bars and took a shaky step outside. His legs wobbled and Shikamaru threw out his arm to help support him. It had been so long since Jumon had stood up and walked, it was hard for him to move without help.

Shikamaru closed the door to Jumon's cell and helped him take his first steps down the hall.

As they did, Jumon looked back at his cage. It was odd, seeing it from this side. Part of him wanted to go back, but he couldn't. Not yet. Not until he saw her.

They took slow steps, Shikamaru supporting him all the while.

"Thank you," Jumon told him.

"Shikamaru."

"Hm?" Jumon looked up.

"My name is Shikamaru."

Jumon gave a weak grin. "I knew you'd tell me eventually."

* * *

Please review!


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19:**

The battle was underway. Skilled and unskilled alike were fighting each other in separate locations.

Neji found himself facing off against Yari in the woods. Taking a deep breath, Neji faced his opponent and took a fighting stance.

Sakura and Sai ended up facing off against Suzume. Sai was thankful to have someone to fight alongside but he wondered if the two of them would be enough.

Hebi launched another attack at Yamato, hoping to trap him like before. Yamato blocked and evaded everything Hebi threw at him. Hebi tried launching another attack, but this time he was attacked by someone else.

Akamaru bit down on Hebi's arm, leaping from a different tree. The force of the attack pulled Hebi down and forced his body to turn sideways. Then Kiba jumped on Hebi from above and together they dragged Hebi out of the tree.

Yamato was about to help them when someone else entered the fight. Supaisu blocked Yamato from helping and decided to square off against him. Yamato jumped out of the tree in an attempt to escape but Supaisu would not let him. As soon as he landed on the ground, Supaisu was there waiting for him.

"You're not going anywhere." Supaisu took out a kunai and pointed it at Yamato. "It's my turn to see what you're made of."

Yamato quickly grew concerned when he realized this was the ninja who purposely kept his distance in battle. Yamato had yet to see what this ninja could do. So far, he hadn't used any jutsu, so Yamato wasn't sure what to expect. He hoped it was something he could handle.

* * *

At the same time, Shizuka had grabbed Kakashi as soon as he saw everyone split up and yanked him into the woods. "Follow me," was all he told Kakashi and he pulled on his arm. Kakashi blindly followed him, believing that he was taking him into battle. If they attacked together, whoever they were facing would have no chance.

This wasn't Shizuka's plan. He had something far different in mind.

The blond ninja was in this direction. He had seen him take off in the chaos. If he was alone, this would be far simpler. He needed Naruto alone. He didn't want to fight. With everyone else battling, they shouldn't be interrupted. He didn't want Naruto's friends to butt in and he didn't want the rest of his own team to try to assist them.

Naruto stopped when he heard rustling.

Shizuka shoved his way through a shrub, still holding onto Kakashi's arm. He turned his head, spotting Naruto.

"It's you." Naruto then looked at the man beside him. "And Kakashi-sensei."

Kakashi grit his teeth. "Stop calling me-"

Shizuka pulled Kakashi forward.

Seeing the approach, Kakashi thought this signaled a fight. Shizuka didn't have to pull him in this direction. He was ready to take on this boy and win. With Shizuka at his side, there was no way they could lose.

But Shizuka wasn't acting like he was preparing to fight. His posture was all wrong. Even the way he was walking up to Naruto told Kakashi that he wasn't looking to fight. When Kakashi reached for his kunai, Shizuka shook his head.

If they weren't going to fight, then what was this? Kakashi was confused. Their boss told them to fight. What was Shizuka doing? What was all this?

Shizuka looked at the boy in front of them. "Naruto, right? That's your name?"

"Yeah."

Shizuka glanced at Kakashi then looked back at Naruto. "Show him what you showed me."

Naruto blinked, realizing what he meant. "Oh." Naruto took off his backpack and fumbled inside for the photograph.

Kakashi gave Shizuka a confused look. He wanted clarification but instead, Shizuka gave Kakashi a small shove in Naruto's direction.

Naruto handed Kakashi the photograph.

Kakashi barely looked at it. He looked instead at Shizuka.

Shizuka gave him an encouraging nod, silently telling him to look at the photograph.

Wanting to settle the matter, Kakashi took the photo from Naruto's extended hand and looked.

Both watched him carefully.

His expression didn't change at first. He just looked annoyed. Then his eye focused on a single part of the photo and they both knew he had spotted his image. He studied it for a long time, then looked, not at Naruto, but at Shizuka.

"What is this?" he asked in a skeptical tone.

This wasn't the reaction Naruto was hoping for. He hoped Kakashi would take one look at the photo, see himself alongside the rest of the team and throw his arms around Naruto in remembrance. That all his memories would come flooding back to him and he would be cured.

Sadly, that didn't happen. He should have figured as much. Sai and Neji did not have such an experience either. Even when they were exposed to something they knew quite well, or even after seeing themselves in a photograph, they did not regain any memories. If it didn't work for them, what made Naruto think it would work for Kakashi? It was just wishful thinking. If only it were that easy.

Kakashi stared at Shizuka, expecting an answer.

Shizuka gestured to the photo. "That's you," he told him solemnly.

Kakashi looked back at the photograph and shook his head. "It can't be." Kakashi pointed to his image in the frame. "That's not me."

"It's you," Naruto told him earnestly.

"Shut up!" Kakashi raised his hand with the photo as if the backhand him across the face.

"It is you," Shizuka said and Kakashi lowered his hand. "It's you, Kakashi."

He looked back at his friend and shook his head. "That's impossible. Don't you know how ridiculous that is? Do you hear yourself?"

"Look at the photo. That is you, Kakashi."

Kakashi waved the photo in the air. "This? It's not me. It's just some guy who looks like me wearing a Leaf headband."

"It's you."

"How can you tell when you can't even see his face? It's all covered up."

"Who else wears a mask like that, Kakashi? It's you!"

"I'm telling you, it can't be! It's just someone who looks like me."

"With the same name? The same looks and name and jutsu? Coincidence has to end somewhere, Kakashi," Shizuka told him firmly. "Come on, even you thought it was nuts."

"I did but this is just plain crazy." Kakashi looked back at the photograph. "I mean, it can't possibly be me. I was never in the Leaf Village before this week."

"That's you in the picture with the boy from years ago. Look how he's aged. You were there. Years ago."

"Impossible! I've always been with you!"

"The photo says different."

"This? This is a lie!" Kakashi shook the photo in the air. "It's fake. It has to be."

"It's not, Kakashi."

Kakashi growled. "So you're saying I know this kid and took a photo with him despite the fact that I've never met him?"

Shizuka just looked from the photo and back at Kakashi in answer.

"I don't know this kid!" Kakashi insisted. "I've never met him before in my life! I don't know him. I don't know anything about him, and you're saying we know each other? We don't! I don't!"

"Yes, you do!" Naruto said loudly. "I know you, Kakashi-sensei!"

"Quit calling me that!"

"But you are my sensei! Your name is Kakashi! You come from the Leaf Village!"

"I do not!"

"Your father was called the White Fang of the Leaf!" Which Naruto hadn't known until he went to the Sand Village to help rescue Gaara a while back.

Kakashi scoffed. "How would I know that? I was raised by the boss. He was the only father I've ever known. He even gave me my Sharingan."

Naruto knew that wasn't true.

"You love reading a series called Make-Out Paradise!" he told him.

"Never heard of it."

Naruto raised a brow at him in bewilderment. Whatever spell he was under must have been strong. Especially if he could forget that.

"You said you would never abandon a friend. That you would never let anyone on your team get killed."

"You're not my friend," Kakashi told him. "And you are not a member of my team."

"I'm a member of Team Kakashi! You're our leader!"

"I am not."

"You trained us!"

"I did not! I've never met you before in my life!" Kakashi turned to Shizuka. "Are you hearing this madness?"

"Your favorite food is miso soup with eggplant!" Naruto blurted out.

Kakashi turned around. "What?"

"You like eating miso soup with eggplant," Naruto repeated. He was so desperate to prove that they knew each other, Naruto was saying anything he knew about him. Anything that came to mind, no matter how trivial.

He also remembered when Neji and Sai had first come to the Leaf Village with amnesia and wanted to know what they liked to eat and few people could tell them.

"You also like saury. Salt-broiled saury," Naruto continued. "And you don't like sweets."

"A lot of men don't like sweets." Kakashi's response wasn't as venomous as before. Apparently, he was starting to consider the possibility that they did know each other.

"You also don't like fried foods," Naruto told him. "We went to a festival once and we tried to share some tempura with you and you said you didn't like fried foods. The crunch and the grease, I guess."

Kakashi frowned. "That still doesn't prove you know me."

"You can summon dogs. You invented the Lightning Blade. It's your original jutsu. You can copy jutsu because of your Sharingan. Because of that, you've been called the Copycat of the Leaf. Surely you remember that."

He didn't. But bits of what Naruto was telling him did sound familiar for some reason. Not enough to convince him, though.

He looked at Shizuka. "Why would you bring me here? Why would you show me this?" Kakashi lifted the picture frame.

"It wasn't to hurt you," said Shizuka.

"Just confuse the hell out of me. None of this can be true. I know what I know."

"I know." Shizuka sighed. "I'm in a similar way. And that's when I knew something was up. I know what I know and that's all that I know."

"Huh?"

Shizuka lifted his head. "My memories only go back so far. Everything else I know I have the gist of. A summary with no details."

"What's that mean?" asked Kakashi.

"Do you remember when we were children and went to train and you had a cold so I managed to beat you in battle? Or when I tripped going down the stairs and skinned my knee? Or the time you had a nightmare and couldn't get to sleep? Or when we got older and I messed up my attack and you thought you'd be silly and purposely messed up yours to mock me and we ended up doing a stupid dance instead and laughed? When we just messed around and got everyone to look at us?"

"No."

"Neither do I," Shizuka said sadly. "I don't have any unique memories. I can't recall individual events. I can't remember anything specific. Just the same thing over and over if I try. I know I trained with you from a young age because I remember it, but I don't remember individual lessons we learned. Only that we were trained. I don't remember what we looked like as children, but I remember that we grew up together. That's not normal, Kakashi."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that something's wrong. I have unique memories from this week, but not months or even years ago. I just know that things happened. But I can't remember certain events. Our lives cannot be that boring that we can't recall certain events."

"Shizuka…"

"Your eye," he said quickly. "The boss gave you that Sharingan, right?"

"Yes. I remember that."

"But how? How did he give it to you? What was the procedure? How did he do it?"

"Uh…"

"Did it hurt? Where did he do it? Were you on a table? Were you standing? How old were you when he gave it to you? Was it an operation? A jutsu? What?"

He couldn't remember. All he knew was that his boss gave it to him. He couldn't remember how. The details were lost to him.

"Surely, you'd remember something like that. Details, for sure. Right?"

Kakashi turned away. "What are you saying? That I do know this kid? Is that it? And the boss. What are you saying about him?"

"I'm saying that he hasn't been honest with us."

"How could you say that? He's harsh, yes, but he's been good to us. And I know where I come from. I belong here with you and the boss. Not the Leaf. Other than this brat's photo, there is no proof. I remember being here with you, not the Leaf. I cannot be from a place I can't remember."

Shizuka looked at the ground. With a heavy sigh, he reached into his shirt and pulled out a headband. He held it up for Kakashi to see.

It had the mark of the Leaf Village on the plate.

"I found this in the boss's private study. Hidden in his desk drawer. It matches the one you're wearing in the photo."

Kakashi as too stunned to make a sound.

"It's yours, Kakashi. It belongs to you."

* * *

As they walked, Jumon started to get more confident in his steps. He didn't have to lean against Shikamaru as much. Working from memory, he showed Shikamaru which way to go in the labyrinth.

"Can't I try talking sense into my friend?" asked Shikamaru quietly. "Show him that he does come from the Leaf? He would have to listen to reason then, right?"

Jumon shook his head. "You're contradicting what they know. What you're telling them, they have no memory of. What you are telling them will make no sense because it doesn't match the memories they have. To them, it would be lies. They will believe what their false memories tell them because that is what they know. That is what they remember."

"Even when faced with evidence?" asked Shikamaru.

"It would be an elaborate lie. Think about it," said Jumon. "What if I were to tell you that you are not a ninja from the Leaf? That you are not a ninja at all? That the people you are living with aren't even your family? That you were actually a baker from another town and you live with fiver older sisters in a log cabin and that your real name is Fred?"

"That's nuts."

"Because you have no memory of it? Since you can't remember any of that, they must be lies? That is how your friend feels. The things you are telling him are contradictory to what he knows. The memories he has, he perceives as real. What he remembers is the truth. What you tell him must be lies. He will never believe you anymore than you'll believe you're a baker with five sisters."

Shikamaru thought about it and nodded. The false memories were so elaborate and convincing that Kakashi would never believe otherwise. Shikamaru knew Jumon telling him he was a baker was no different from telling Kakashi he was their friend. It all came down to what his memories told him.

"I suppose you're right," Shikamaru said with a sigh.

"You remember your parents, you remember your village and you are wearing Leaf clothing. To you, that is the truth. If someone were to come along and say different, you would think they were lying. That they were crazy. That is how it would be for your friend and all those others I've affected with my jutsu. It would be next to impossible to convince them otherwise. You would just be a band of elaborate liars."

If they were to capture Kakashi, he would keep trying to break out and come back here because he believed this was where he belonged. No matter how many times they tried to convince him, he would not believe them. The truth to him would be a lie, just as Jumon explained.

The Leaf was not Kakashi's home anymore. Not as long as he had these false memories.

There was no reasoning with him. They would have to restrain him but what good would that do? Then he would be their prisoner. It would be even harder to convince Kakashi that they were really friends when they had to do it through prison bars.

What sort of life would he have? Things would not be the same. To keep him from hurting them, they would have to restrain him. To keep him from running off again, they would have to lock him up. This was a huge mess. But what else could they do? If Kakashi couldn't be convinced, what choice did they have?

"Turn here," Jumon whispered. "I remember this hallway. We take this down to the end then turn left."

"Ok." Shikamaru walked beside Jumon, all the while worrying about Kakashi.

Not just him, but the rest of those men. If they were under the same jutsu, who were they? What did this mean for them? Where were their families? Where were they from? Kakashi wasn't the only one who needed to be rescued.

Unfortunately, they didn't realize they needed rescuing.

* * *

What will happen now that Kakashi has seen the photo and the headband?

What will Shikamaru and Jumon find?

Please review!


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20:**

Kakashi stared at the headband in Shizuka's hand. It matched the one in the photo perfectly.

"Mine?" he whispered so softly they could barely hear him.

Shizuka nodded. "Yes."

Kakashi gave the headband another look and shook his head from side to side. "No. No, that's impossible. It… It can't be mine. How do you know?"

"Like I said, I found it in the boss's private study."

"That doesn't prove anything." Kakashi took a step back as if the headband were about to leap at him. "No. No, the boss… That could have been from someone else."

"Why would he hold on to something like this, Kakashi? Tell me."

"He…" Kakashi tried to think of a reason. "He… It could have been from a Leaf ninja he defeated, and he kept that as a trophy."

"If it is a trophy, why would he keep it in the bottom of a drawer? Why would he hide it?"

Kakashi couldn't explain that. "It was just a guess. It could be for something else. Maybe… Maybe he was crafting them for us to use in future missions. Wear them and go undercover and invade the Leaf village. No one would question us wearing those things."

"But we've already been to the Leaf and we weren't wearing these. There was only one Leaf headband in there anyway and it matches the one you're wearing in that photo."

"Shut up!" Kakashi covered his ears. He didn't want to hear anymore. "Just shut up!"

"It is your headband, Kakashi!" Shizuka stepped forward and pulled one of Kakashi's arms down. "It is yours!"

"Stop this!"

"Listen to reason, Kakashi!"

"But it makes no sense! No sense at all!"

"The boss hid this from you. He kept it in a drawer in a room where no one would go. He kept it secret."

Kakashi lowered his other arm, uncovering his other ear. "If it is mine, why would he keep such incriminating evidence laying around? Why not get rid of the thing?"

"Maybe he didn't have time. Maybe he kept it for his own reasons. Like a trophy but one for his eyes only. Either way, it was hidden in a room where no one but him ever goes. We're not allowed. That's just as good a hiding place as burying it in the yard. The point is, he didn't want you to find it."

Kakashi couldn't believe it. He wouldn't. If it was true, then everything he knew was a lie. But it couldn't be. He remembered. He remembered being here and not at the Leaf. Didn't that make it true? How could something he didn't remember be the truth and everything he did remember be a lie? That was impossible. However, Shizuka did have a point about not being able to recall certain details about his past. He knew the boss gave him his other eye. He remembered it. The problem was, he couldn't remember how the boss did it. Shizuka was also right about the memories he did have holding details only going back to the beginning of this week. Everything else was either a blur or he knew it happened but couldn't give any detailed information about what happened. He knew it happened, he just didn't have the details, like knowing the plot of a story but never reading the book.

Could he have really been from the Leaf Village? He couldn't have been. His gut and brain told him he didn't belong there and never did. What did his heart say? It was strangely quiet. He felt like he belonged with Shizuka and the boss he remembered being with for so long.

Despite everything in him saying he was where he belonged, there was a faint part of him that questioned it. It was a tiny, tiny part and he didn't know if it was in his heart or in his brain. All he knew was that there was this minuscule fragment of something within him telling him that there may have been some truth to the photograph. It didn't tell him be belonged with the Leaf. It just told him to question what he knew. It was small, but enough to put doubt in him.

He didn't want to go with this boy, though. He didn't want to be a part of the Leaf. He wanted to be with Shizuka and the others. He wanted to follow under his boss's rule. He wanted to be with them, not the boy. He just felt more comfortable with them. He knew them. He had memories of them but not the boy, which was why he felt more comfortable being with them.

Never mind feelings. Logically, what should he do? Logic dictated that he should go with what he knew. He knew the boss, therefore, that was where he should be.

His feelings told him to stay where he was. Logic told him to stay where he was. It all made perfect sense. Why leave a place he liked? Why go somewhere he did not know with people he did not remember? That didn't make sense. He wanted to be with the boss. He wanted to stay where he was and be with him. That's what he wanted. His feelings and logic agreed.

So why did he still feel like something was amiss? Why was that part if him still telling him to question everything when the rest of him was in agreement?

He boy didn't seem like a bad guy. He was decent enough. A little too clingy for his taste and he was stubborn as a mule. No matter how much he told him to stay away, he wouldn't. Then again, wasn't that loyalty? He was being faithful. The boy couldn't have been all bad. He was certainly skilled and he did seem to know a few things about him.

Kakashi frowned. Why was he even considering this? Wait a minute. Was there a part of him that liked this boy? No, of course not. If anything, he respected him in light of everything he had learned about him. His skills and personality. It was respect, not fondness.

But when they clashed blades before, he felt something. Not care or consideration for the boy, but a faint feeling like they had done this before. No, it just felt similar because of his training. Their battle probably reminded him of his battles in the past. It was similarity. Nothing more than that.

But why couldn't he kill him? Twice he tried and failed. Why? Why couldn't he do it?

That feeling inside him kept pushing him to question this. It urged him to consider other possibilities. To wonder why he could and could not do certain things. His actions, what he remembered. That part of him remained and it was getting harder and harder to ignore.

Kakashi turned to Shizuka. "Why?"

Shizuka didn't answer him.

"Why bring this up?" Kakashi pressed. "Why disrupt the peace I've had up to now? Why put me through this?"

"It wasn't to hurt you, Kakashi."

"Then why?" he demanded. "Now I'm questioning everything I know! Everything I think I know. If you had just left it alone, I wouldn't be so confused!"

Kakashi paced the ground, head in his hands. He was in turmoil.

"Why?" he asked again, his voice breaking. "You said it wasn't to hurt me. But now I can't find rest. I'm so confused. It's all overwhelming. My head feels like it's going to burst. I'm questioning everything and I don't want to. Why put this doubt in my head? Why couldn't you have just left it alone? Now part of me feels like I should listen to this boy but I don't want to! I was content with the way things were, but now it feels like I can't go back. Why put me through this?"

"Because I'm your friend," Shizuka said firmly. "I didn't do this to hurt you, but to help you. All I know is that you've always been there for me. You've helped me, protected me. We're friends. And you would do the same for me."

Naruto, who had been watching this entire time, looked from one to the other.

Shizuka claimed to be Kakashi's friend. From the look of things, he was. He was acting like a true friend. He was actually concerned for Kakashi. He even went out of his way to help him.

Naruto trusted Shizuka. He had his doubts before, but now he could see that Shizuka was a decent human being. Naruto considered him a friend as well. He was actually trying to help Kakashi get home. At least, that's how it appeared.

It was possible that Shizuka might not want Kakashi to leave. He was willing to help Kakashi remember who he really was, but doing so might result in him losing Kakashi. Shizuka must have known that.

This worried Naruto. He was also concerned about Shizuka. He didn't want him to suffer for doing the right thing. Maybe there was something he could do for him. He could ask Shizuka if he wanted to come back to the Leaf Village with them. Shizuka wasn't really an enemy anyway. He was trapped in a jutsu just like Kakashi. Perhaps they could let Shizuka stay with Kakashi in the Leaf until everything was sorted out. He could always live there so there would be no fuss.

Naruto soon realized that wouldn't work. Just as soon as the thought crossed his mind, he tossed it aside. If Shizuka was under a jutsu and had his memories messed with, then he must have had a family somewhere. Staying with the Leaf wasn't the best solution. They had to figure out where he came from and send him home.

Naruto didn't know Shizuka that well, but he knew staying with them at the Leaf wasn't the best solution. Even if it was the only way to coax Kakashi into coming with them. If Shizuka would come with them, Kakashi could still refuse.

He could see that Kakashi was still reluctant to come. He clearly didn't want to, even with Shizuka telling him he should.

It was heartbreaking, knowing that Kakashi would rather be with complete strangers rather than come home and be with them. Kakashi truly preferred the life he had now over the life he had before.

No, it was the jutsu. Naruto knew Kakashi really didn't want this, but his memories told him a different story. They dictated what Kakashi wanted. If he didn't remember them, why would he want to go with them? If he remembered these people, why wouldn't he want to stay with them? Naruto had a feeling this had already crossed Kakashi's mind. He must have been thinking the exact same thing.

Seeing Kakashi suffer like this was almost too much. Naruto wanted him to come home, but if it caused him to feel this way…

It would be cruel, forcing Kakashi to return to the Leaf when he was adamant about staying with these people. Kakashi was confused enough as it was. To drag him back to a place he didn't remember and surround him with people he no longer knew and keep him there was just plain cruel. He would be their prisoner. Even if he wasn't locked up, it would feel like a prison to him. If he was forced to be there against his will, how would it not be? Besides, he was made to think they were his enemy. Dragging him back kicking and screaming would not have good results. He might try to attack them. He might try to run away and rejoin these people.

What about Kakashi's well-being? If he already believed one thing and they came along and told him different, what would that do to him? How would that effect him psychologically? Naruto didn't want to break him. He didn't want to damage his mind.

If he tried to force Kakashi to remember the truth, could it cause the Kakashi he knew to disappear forever?

Seeing him like this now, denying left and right and close to tears, is what kept Naruto from speaking. He didn't know what to do. He knew what he wanted. He just didn't want to hurt Kakashi to get it. He knew Kakashi had to remember the truth, but he didn't want to risk further damage in order to make him remember.

He stayed quiet and watched Shizuka and Kakashi talk it out. Since Kakashi remember and knew Shizuka, it was probably better coming from him. He knew Kakashi would not listen to him, but he would listen to Shizuka.

Naruto hoped he could get through to him.

He stood back and watched Shizuka try to calm Kakashi down. They seemed so close. They trusted each other. They were friends. Naruto could tell just by looking at them that they were good friends.

"But all this. The headband and the… And how I'm feeling now…" Kakashi took a few breaths to calm himself down. "This doubt and uncertainty. I was fine before all these things came into play. And you say I would do the same for you? It was to help me? Shizuka… why? Why put me through this? Why bring me here?"

"Because you deserve to know the truth. Even if it ends up hurting us both." Shizuka looked at the headband in his hand. "It hurts to see you in pain, Kakashi. I don't want you to hate me for it. I don't want to see you suffer. But knowing that something important is being kept from you is something I can't ignore. It isn't fair to you. That's why I did this. You deserve to know the truth."

Did Shizuka believe that he owed Kakashi for everything? Or was he just being a good friend? Kakashi wasn't sure. All he knew was that Shizuka was his friend. His best friend. Shizuka thought he was doing what was best for him, even if it caused him pain.

He was angry he had to go through such pain, but he was grateful Shizuka cared that much about him.

With all the doubt he had swirling within him like a cyclone, the one thing he never doubted was Shizuka. He never once doubted his friendship with him. That, at least, he knew was real and would never change.

* * *

Please review!


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21:**

Shikamaru and Jumon stopped, their path blocked by a large wooden door. Shikamaru looked back down the long winding hallway and then back at the door. This corridor lead to this room and only this room. Unlike the other corridors, this one ended at a door which meant it lead to a room and not a different path.

This must have been it.

Jumon stretched, his joints popping. "This is the place."

"There's a room behind this door," said Shikamaru, "not another hallway. Otherwise, there wouldn't be a door here. A long hall leading to this place… He obviously wanted to make sure it was far from other people."

Such a room would contain many secrets. Any place hiding such things would no doubt have its fair share of traps. Shikamaru suspected the door might have been locked or rigged.

Jumon didn't seem worried at all. He walked right up to it and put his hand on the thick wood.

"This is where he brought me a little while ago. To see my sister." Jumon lowered his head. "She was hooked up to all sorts of wires and tubes. I have not seen her since."

Seeing his troubled expression, Shikamaru put a hand on Jumon's shoulder to comfort him.

"Every day I wonder if her condition has improved. Every day I think about her. And every day I ask the boss how she's doing. His answers are always vague. I ask after her and he tells me that he's doing his best."

Shikamaru could only imagine how Jumon must be feeling as he stood outside her room. Nervous and scared, filled with uncertainty. A bit relived being here after longing to see her for so long.

Jumon returned his gaze to the door. "The last time I was here, he opened this door and showed me this room. I've only been in here once. He did not have a key when he opened it so he must not keep it locked. It's far enough away I suppose he wouldn't need to."

"Are there traps?"

Jumon shook his head. "No. It's a medical room. It's got lots of space and tools. She was on a table when I saw her. Right in the middle." Jumon grew tense. "But if he's being true to his word, he might be inside. Inside, doing what he can to save her."

"Even if it were empty, I would still enter with caution."

Jumon didn't say anything.

Shikamaru pressed his fingertips into Jumon's shoulder. "She's just inside."

"Yes. I know."

"You came all this way."

"Yes. To see her. I know."

Shikamaru leaned close to him. "Are you ready?"

Jumon stood in front of the door, staring in silence. He nodded his head, breathing deeply. "Yes. As ready as I'll ever be."

"Ok. Then let's go in."

Jumon moved his hand down and over the knob. He slowly turned it and pushed the door open. The hinges creaked dully as the door swung outward.

Shikamaru took the lead with a kunai in his hand.

Careful not to make a sound, they entered the room and closed the door so no one would notice.

The room was spacious just as Jumon said. The ceiling was tall and domed above them. The walls were lined with shelves packed with jars and books. Between two bookcases was a cabinet filled with surgical tools. There were machines neither of them dared to touch in various locations.

Shikamaru observed all of this, but Jumon's eyes were on one thing alone.

He walked right up to the table in the center of the room and stared. Shikamaru approached behind him and stood beside Jumon, staring at the table.

It was empty.

"She was here," whimpered Jumon. "Hooked up to all kinds of things. Where..?"

"There are other doors," Shikamaru said, pointing to two doors in the room. "She could be in one of those."

"Yeah, I guess." Jumon seemed relieved.

"We can check in these rooms and see if we can find her."

"Ok."

Shikamaru and Jumon went over to one of the doors, ready to open it.

"What are you doing in here?"

They froze.

"What are you doing out of your cell, Jumon?"

They spun around. A tall man had come out of the second door and was staring right at them.

"Answer me," he said in a threatening tone.

"I… I…"

Shikamaru quickly put the kunai to Jumon's throat. "Don't speak to him," he hissed, then looked at the man. "I'm calling the shots here. Give me your name or I'll kill him."

The man looked at the kunai pointed at Jumon's neck. "Using a weak boy as a hostage. How quaint."

"I said give me your name!" Shikamaru ordered.

The man smirked. "I am Seigi, the leader of this group and owner of this place."

Just as he thought. This was the boss.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

Shikamaru kept the kunai at Jumon's throat. "I found this boy in a cell and decided to take him as my hostage. There was no one else around, so I figured he'd do in a pinch. I asked him where the leader was but he said he didn't know so I told him to show me around until I found you."

Seigi scoffed. "You're a terrible liar," he said in an assumed tone. "He wanted to come here to see his sister."

"I still found you, didn't I?"

Seigi ignored him and looked at Jumon. "She is resting after the latest surgery. I'll let you see her when she is able. As for this…" He looked at Shikamaru. "I know you are from the Leaf. I also know that Jumon brought you here so he could see his sister. As far as him taking you down this path on purpose… No, I shouldn't say that. It is clear to me that Jumon was not leading you to me but to his sister and you already knew that. I also know that you were not looking for me, otherwise you would not be as surprised as you are to see me standing here."

Shikamaru gulped.

"Like I said, you are a bad liar. So I know he is not your hostage. Especially since you put the knife to his neck after you saw me."

Shikamaru stood closer to Jumon. "He's my hostage now."

Seigi did not look concerned.

"I know you need him alive," Shikamaru went on. "He means nothing to me so why wouldn't I hurt him?"

"Because then you'll lose your only bargaining tool. With him gone, why would I not attack you?"

"But you would lose him. I know you don't want that. Think about it. Why would you risk losing someone you need? Sounds like a good hostage to me."

Seigi scoffed. "Look around. We're in a medical room. Anything you do to him I can easily treat. I can remedy any harm done to him. You, however, fall out of favor. I will not treat your wounds."

Shikamaru knew they were at a stalemate. He never intended to harm Jumon but he couldn't let Seigi know that. He had to act like he would still make good on his threats.

He hadn't planned on finding Seigi so soon. He had gathered a lot of information, but he was starting to regret coming alone. He had a plan just in case this happened, but he was still nervous being this close to the enemy.

"Jumon," Seigi called. "Come away from him."

"I…" Jumon looked nervously at the kunai. "Uh…"

"Come here now."

"If he moves, I'll kill him."

"No, you won't." Seigi looked at Jumon. "He will not hurt you. I know how Leaf ninja are. You are too weak to be of value to him."

Of all the things Seigi could have said, this one struck Shikamaru as odd. Bringing someone's value into the conversation was shedding some light on Seigi's motives. Shikamaru wasn't done gathering information yet.

"But he's valuable to you," Shikamaru said, trying to keep Seigi busy. "Why do you care about me finding him valuable? Or is this just how you think?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're so sure I won't hurt him and then you bring his value into the mix. I'm beginning to think there's more to this than what I'm seeing."

Seigi was about to answer when he found he could not move. His legs were rooted to the spot. Then he saw a shadow stretching from Shikamaru to him. Their shadows were linked.

"I see. So you're the shadow-user."

Shikamaru lowered his weapon and Jumon stepped away. "You know about my jutsu? Hm. I figured you were using those ninja to gather information on us. I also know about Jumon's abilities. My guess is that you were sizing us up at first. Then you decided, after seeing what we could do, to keep some of us alive and recruit us. Is that right? Picking the ones with the most useful abilities to join your team of ninja."

Seigi scoffed again and smirked. "Indeed. There's no point in hiding it since you've already figured it out. Yes, I was picking which ones would be most useful to me. Then I would have Jumon use his jutsu on them and make them loyal to me."

"And then you would have an army." Shikamaru already knew this man's strategy. "You realized that just the six of you wouldn't be enough. You plan on adding more ninja to your team and having it grow. Then you could take on any threat. But if that's your plot, then why not use it on everyone? You'd have an army much faster that way."

"I have to weed out the weak ones. I want an army of only strong ninja. Ones with unique talents. Having interesting and unique jutsu would give me an edge. Those with special jutsu would be harder to fight because they are not as common and therefore less is known about how to counter it. I want only the best. Weak ninja would only slow me down."

"You've thought this through."

"Of course I have. I also thought about using the weaker ninja as pawns to throw away whenever I please. Or use them for something minor and toss them away. Even use them as decoys, drawing attacks only to get killed and make way for the real talent."

"But you're not doing that."

"No, because it wouldn't go in my favor. Sure, there are pluses to doing that, like I said. Making the enemy use their energy and waste weapons on decoys. It would weaken them, but if you have a strong army, it doesn't matter. The strong will win easily and I can cut out the middle man."

"That way, you could get what you want faster. You want to reach your goal without added hassle."

"Exactly."

This man was smart, but foolish. Shikamaru understood that in order to achieve anything, obstacles must be overcome. When he played Shogi, he didn't seek to end the game after the first move. He planned and worked through all the steps and then won. This man wanted to win without playing the game. He wanted the end result. But games and battles did not work that way. There were always steps to take. It might be tedious and troublesome, but it was all necessary.

Seigi would never win by cutting corners. That would be his downfall. He was far too hasty.

Shikamaru decided to ask him some additional questions as long as Seigi couldn't move. "You attacked the Leaf Village and you seem to know what Leaf ninja are about. You hinted at it when you said I wouldn't find Jumon of value. What do you have against the Leaf?"

"The Leaf? Oh, nothing really. You just happened to be the closest ninja village to where I'm located."

"I don't believe that for a minute. You're targeting us specifically."

"Not true. I plan on attacking other villages after I'm finished with yours. You're only the first step."

"I still don't buy that. But let's say I believe that you are going to attack other villages after ours. Why would you do that? It can't be just as a test of your power. What do you have against ninja villages?"

Seigi smirked. "Isn't it obvious? Power. Each ninja village holds power. And ninja with different abilities. I plan on adding them to my team and use their power as my own."

"Is that so?"

"Of course. It's all about power. The more abilities you have, the stronger you are and the strong never lose."

But someone was losing. Shikamaru knew Seigi's ideals would become his greatest downfall along with his impatience. Seigi losing was no surprise, but there was someone else in that room who was also on the losing end.

Shikamaru's eyes darted toward Jumon standing by the wall.

Seigi's plan to take over numerous ninja villages would take months, perhaps longer if things continued at this pace. Sorting out the strong from the weak would take a lot of time in and of itself, but there was so much more to consider. Travel alone would take up a lot of time. The ninja in those villages would also fight back, thus taking up even more time.

Jumon was only supposed to help Seigi until his sister became well again. In light of this information, Shikamaru knew Seigi's true motives.

In order for his plan to work, Jumon could not leave. Seigi never intended to let Jumon go.

Shikamaru glanced back at Seigi with a frown.

It wasn't just this realization that had him scowling. It was the lack of information he needed from Seigi. If Jumon's jutsu worked on anyone who was unconscious, then he could easily perform it over an entire village in the dead of night. Afterwards, once they were loyal to him, he could have them show him their power, then decide whether he wanted to keep them or not. Instead, he was doing things from afar, staying in this forest. Then he was having the ninja fight other ninja in order to discover their power.

Which led Shikamaru to conclude that Seigi liked making the ninja fight one another. He was either a very cruel man or a man full of hate.

"What do you have against the ninja villages?" Shikamaru asked him. "Why do you hate them?"

Seigi seemed surprised by the question. "Hate has nothing to do with it. It's power. Nothing more, nothing less."

"But you're making ninja fight other ninja."

"To draw out their power. To see what they can do. It's all necessary."

Shikamaru wasn't convinced. He knew Seigi wasn't stupid. He clearly knew what he could do, especially considering how he liked to do things quickly. He knew he could take an entire village in one fell swoop but he opted not to. Knowing this, it was clear to Shikamaru that Seigi wanted ninja to fight each other. Why remained to be seen.

"It's not location," Shikamaru told him. "And you just said it yourself that you wanted to do this to all ninja villages. We're the target. What I don't know is why. I know you have something against us. With Jumon's power, you could take over an entire village in one night. But you're not doing that. You want us to fight."

Seigi started to scowl.

"The ninja villages must have hurt you bad. Bad enough to make you hate them."

Seigi bared his teeth at him. "Shut up."

"What could they have done to you? Did they fail a mission you hired them for? Were you caught up in an unwanted battle? Were you an innocent bystander in the middle of two opposing sides? Were you trying to run but the battle prevented it? Did you come out of your house and see a ninja battle and how it destroyed your land?"

"None of that happened!" Seigi snapped. "Get your facts straight, boy, and don't make up scenarios. I was never a bystander. I was and am a ninja!"

"You are?" Without a headband, Shikamaru had no way of knowing. Not without seeing him display some type of jutsu or other ninja skills.

This was good, though. He got Seigi talking. Maybe if he played dumb, he could get more out of him.

"If you are a ninja, then you must have come from a ninja village. What village? And won't they notice you missing? Or are you a rouge ninja? I haven't heard of you so I doubt that's it. If that's the case, then what are you doing out here? Are you lost and can't find your way back to your village?"

That last question infuriated Seigi, which was exactly what Shikamaru was hoping to do. Now he was in a talking mood.

"How dare you mock me!" Seigi roared. "You think I am so weak I cannot find my way out of a simple forest? You think me a fool? You think my skills are inadequate, just like the rest of them!"

"The rest of them? You mean your village?"

Seigi snorted with laughter. "They saw fit to mock me, too. They thought they were so much better. And why? Because they were older than me. Because they were so full of themselves. Because they had amazing skills that set them apart from other ninja. They thought someone like me was worthless because I didn't have a clan jutsu. That I was unoriginal."

He had no unique jutsu to his name. He was average.

This explained his hatred.

"Whenever there was a mission to be done, I would ask to come along and get shot down. They never wanted me for a mission. They thought I was too weak. They let me go on smaller missions, but never anything important. They would always pick the ones with the fancy jutsu to go. Not me. Never me."

"It might not have been your lack of original jutsu. Maybe you just weren't meant for the mission."

"You sound just like them. They told me I wasn't suited for the mission. I knew what that meant. It meant I was useless to them. That I wasn't a valuable ninja due to my so-called lack of skills. They wanted the ones with the reputation. With the strong jutsu no one else possessed."

Shikamaru shook his head. "You jumped to the wrong conclusion," he told him. "It wasn't that they didn't find you necessary. You just didn't have the right skills for the job. That's all. It's not weakness. Everyone has different skills. Different things they can bring to the table. Some people have skills that aren't right for the mission so they send someone who is better suited. They didn't think any less of you or find you weak. After all, they let you go on other missions. You just didn't have the skill set for certain ones."

"A likely story."

"I'm serious. If there's a tracking mission, then you would send tracking ninja. It makes sense. Why send someone with no tracking skills on a tracking mission? That makes no sense. Again, every ninja has a certain set of skills and the missions are divided up among those who are a good fit. You just weren't suited for those missions."

"Because they felt I had a lack of skill. You said it yourself just a moment ago. I wanted suited."

"You're getting the wrong idea. They didn't think any less of you. I have skills, too, as you can see. But if there's a mission that calls for a medic, why on earth would they call me for it? I'm not a medic. They should send someone with medical skills. It's only logical. It makes sense. Otherwise, you have a mess. Everything is carefully calculated. The skills of the ninja, the knowledge they possess, the experience they have. It all factors in. You wouldn't send someone who just graduated on an S-rank mission, even if they have the proper skills. They don't have the experience yet. It's nothing personal. You have no reason to get upset."

Seigi glared at him. "You may have a point if it was just for the first few missions. But for me, it never got better. I was assigned the same missions over and over again and when I asked for more they said I wasn't suited. I got older and still asked for a different mission. I even took the exams, but they never passed me. No matter what I showed them, they said they couldn't advance me. They said I was still lacking. That they couldn't justify sending me up. I was doomed to stay in the rut. I never got any more than what I had."

Shikamaru spoke what was on his mind before he could stop himself. "Maybe you weren't given any more because you weren't ready for it."

"How dare you!" Seigi's roar made everyone flinch. Shikamaru almost lost control of the jutsu.

"I'm serious," Shikamaru said, regaining his composure. "Maybe they didn't advance you because you didn't show any improvement. You might have been lacking in some way, so they couldn't justify passing you and sending you to the next step."

"I already know their reasons, though they would never admit it to my face," said Seigi. "It was my lack of original jutsu. I always knew. Whenever I did something, they would shake their heads. When I showed them my skills with a blade, they wouldn't pass me. It was good at swordplay, but that wasn't an original jutsu. They weren't impressed. I showed them my skills with a whip, but even that wasn't enough to impress them. They just looked at me and shook their heads."

"There's more to being a ninja than skills," said Shikamaru. "You were lacking in something else."

"Yeah, the jutsu. I already know that! Why do you keep bringing that up? Just to mock me further?"

"It's not the jutsu or lack thereof," Shikamaru shouted over Seigi's snarls. "I'm talking about something else. Things like teamwork and problem-solving. And learning from past mistakes. If you keep doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results, then I can't blame them for their decision."

"It's their fault I was doing the same thing over and over again. They wouldn't give me anything else."

"Again, you're not getting it. Maybe the thing you were stuck doing over and over again was given to you because you had yet to do it right. They couldn't advance you if you didn't show them some improvement. That's probably what's going on. You probably weren't doing it right, so they kept giving it to you until you learned. It was a test. Either that or because you haven't shown any improvement, they gave it to you because you couldn't be trusted with anything else."

Seigi didn't understand. He thought they were mocking him and found him invaluable because he didn't possess an original jutsu. Even as an adult, he still thought this way. Shikamaru was just speculating their reasons for not passing Seigi in his village, but he saw the evidence right in front of him.

Seigi liked to cut corners, he was hasty and self-centered. He looked for the quick solution and was vengeful. Anyone who didn't give him what he wanted was deemed an enemy. He would attack anyone he felt had wronged him. Even going out of his way to hurt innocent people simply because they reminded him of the people he hated. None of these were the quality of a good ninja. Shikamaru had to agree that the higher-ups had no right to pass him. Seigi just wasn't ready.

Unfortunately, he was too narrow-minded to see that. He truly believed it was the jutsu that made the ninja. That the jutsu alone was what dictated a ninja's value. He wasn't grasping reality. He didn't understand, and because of this he would never learn. If only he realized the fault was in himself and his own actions, then perhaps he could be advanced. As of now, he was nothing more than a spoiled child throwing a tantrum.

Clearly, he never grew out of that child mentality. Rather than try to improve himself and take what his elders said into consideration, he threw a fit and accused them of being in the wrong. He believed they were being cruel to him. That the criticism was an insult. He never believed he was at fault. He thought it was everyone else. Even as an adult, he thought this way and it was the logic of a child.

If he was this old and still thought like a spoiled brat, then he probably wasn't going to get any better as far as Shikamaru was concerned. Seigi was too stuck in his ways to change.

Shikamaru looked at his shadow which had started to twitch and quiver. He was starting to run out of chakra.

He could either end the jutsu now and save what little chakra he had left for the inevitable fight, or he could push himself to keep going until his chakra was completely gone and his body gave out.

He chose the option that would allow him to move afterword.

Shikamaru ended his jutsu and Seigi was free to move.

The first thing he did was grab something from his belt and snap it in Shikamaru's direction.

Shikamaru put a hand to his stinging cheek and felt blood on his fingers. He looked at the barbed whip at Seigi's side.

"Well, well…" Seigi pulled the whip tight in his hands. "That was a nice chat, but I do owe you for entering my home unannounced. And for that jutsu of ours. I'll make you sorry you ever crossed me."

* * *

By the way, yes, Seigi's name does mean "justice" in Japanese. You are correct. Sort of an ironic name when you think about it.

Please review! ^-^


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22:**

Yamato stepped back and took out another kunai. Supaisu was the only one not to show off any jutsu yet and he was still showing restraint. Yamato was starting to think Supaisu was like Lee and couldn't use jutsu.

At last, Supaisu gave up and revealed his secret. Weaving a few hand signs, he created a mist that surrounded Yamato and the immediate area. Yamato had seen this mist before and knew Supaisu was trying to hide himself in the thick fog. Yamato listened carefully, hoping to pick up the faintest of footsteps.

A glint.

Yamato jumped aside as a kunai came his way. Another glint and a kunai just missed his head. Then a barrage of kunai came his way. Yamato ducked low to avoid them.

This was impossible. How could Supaisu throw all those kunai at once?

More kunai came, this time from all sides. Yamato danced around them, trying to avoid them all. One nicked his sleeve and tore off a piece of fabric. A small red line appeared on his skin. Out of all the kunai that came his way, he was thankful he only got cut once.

But this raised further questions. How could Supaisu aim all those kunai, not only at once, but from different directions? Something was wrong.

Supaisu appeared in front of him and tried a direct attack. Yamato jumped, spun around and threw a kunai at his back. Supaisu avoided it and the blade sunk into a tree. Supaisu aimed his own kunai at Yamato which he also managed to avoid.

Yamato landed and sealed Supaisu within a dome of thick wood. Yamato thought he had his opponent trapped but something cut the side of his face. He spun around and saw Supaisu coming towards him.

Had he used a clone? A substitution? How did he escape that?

Yamato fought this Supaisu as well, using his wood to chase him. Another Supaisu appeared and ran beside the first then jumped, attacking Yamato directly.

It must have been a clone. Yamato continued to chase the first one, but knew he had to handle this one fast. He used a second block of wood from the ground and launched it at the supposed clone. The wood passed right through him and crashed into a tree.

"What?" Yamato couldn't help asking that question out loud. He hadn't expected this.

He reached out to touch Supaisu but his hand passed through his body, just as the wood had done. This one wasn't real. Yamato trapped the first one and soon discovered that it, too, wasn't real.

Something grazed his ear. It was another kunai. Another barrage came and this time, Yamato stood his ground. Several of the kunai passed through his body and vanished.

"None of these are real. No wonder I couldn't find any after the first few attacks. They're illusions."

"So you caught on, have you?" came Supaisu's voice.

Yamato looked at the thick fog surrounding him. "The fog. I knew it. The fog caused the illusions."

"Boy, you catch on quick." Supaisu chuckled lightly. "Yes," he said. "I'm able to combine two different natures in order to create this mist and cast my illusions. Sweet, huh?"

Yamato scoffed. "Useful, that's for sure. I'm guessing you're using fire and water style and mash them together. The heat and the coolness create mirages. That's very smart. But none of it's real."

"Oh?"

Yamato felt a sharp pain in his shoulder. A kunai, a real one, was sticking out of his flesh. He twisted it free and tossed it aside. Another barrage came his way, but thinking only one of them was real, he did not move. Every kunai hit its mark and Yamato hunched over, clutching his body in pain.

"Is that pain not real?" asked Supaisu. "You think none of it's real? You think only one of them can be real? No. This is why it's so deadly. Yes, most of what you see is an illusion, but hidden within the fog are real threats. You never know what's coming your way. You never know what's going to be real or how much of it."

He was right. Yamato foolishly thought none of the weapons were real, overlooking the fact that a few of them had already grazed him. Those drew blood. They were real. Even now, the pain he was in and the kunai sticking out of his body; those were all real. Thankfully, there weren't too many of them, but this proved Supaisu's point. If Yamato didn't know how much of it was real, he risked making another deadly decision.

If he didn't move, it was possible the weapons were real and he would get injured. If he moved, whether or not they were fake, he was wasting energy dodging. If some were real and some were not mixed together, then he didn't know which ones to block so he would have to move in order to dodge them all.

"So this is why you didn't show off your talent before now," said Yamato. "You wanted to catch us off guard."

"Yes, that is true," replied Supaisu.

Yamato intended for Supaisu to give up his location so he could attack him directly and not have to worry about the fog. He listened carefully, hoping to pick up where his voice was coming from, but it was no use. Supaisu's voice seemed to be coming from every direction. It echoed around him, making it impossible for him to know his exact position.

However, Yamato figured if he could do that, then he had to be hiding in the trees. If he was above him, it would have been easy for him to make his voice sound like it was coming from several locations. Unless he was able to throw his voice, but Yamato doubted that. But where in the trees was he hiding?

Yamato tried to look for him, but more weapons came his way, forcing him to run. Supaisu wasn't going to let him get a good look.

* * *

Sakura stood and waited for her opponent to come to her. She instructed Sai to stay behind her. She knew he needed protection.

Sai shakily reached for the short sword on his back and pulled it free. If Sakura was fighting, then he had to do his part and fight, too. He wanted to help her. He wanted to be of use. He was a ninja, just like the rest of them.

He told himself over and over again that he was a ninja so he would believe it. He couldn't have doubts now. Doubts would make him clumsy and nervous. They would make him second guess himself and he couldn't allow that. He had to fight with confidence.

Suzume blew a strong gust of wind in their direction. Both stood their ground, hunched over to keep from being blown away. Suzume jumped being the gust and rode the current right into Sakura. He planted both feet in her chest and pushed her back. Sakura fell onto her back with Suzume's full weight on top of her. Suzume took out a knife from his belt and got ready to stab her.

Thinking fast, Sai used his weapon to block the smaller blade, giving Sakura enough time to punch Suzume in the leg.

"Ahh!" Suzume jumped back, holding his shin with both hands. Sakura nearly broke the bone with her bare fist. "You dirty little…"

Sai swung his sword at Suzume who backed off. Feeling confident, Sai pushed forward. Suzume blew another gust of wind in Sai's face, delaying the strike. Suzume took a swing at Sai's head while he was distracted. The hard punch sent Sai staggering.

Sakura took his place and punched Suzume back. He skidded back, his heels leaving shallow grooves in the dirt. He recovered and ran forward. As Sakura prepared to punch him again, he jumped and tried to kick her while he was in the air. She dodged his legs and grabbed his ankle, spun around and threw him.

Suzume landed and popped, leaving a log in his place.

"A replacement." As soon as Sakura said those words, the real Suzume appeared and punched her. He grabbed her by the back of her shirt and pulled her into his chest, preparing to stab her.

Sai saw the weapon and moved to stop him. Suzume stepped to the side, spinning Sakura around to the front to use as a human shield. Sai stopped just short of hitting her.

Before Suzume could gloat, Sakura jabbed him in the chest with her elbow and freed herself. She and Sai backed up for another attack. Suzume took a step back as well. He drew two kunai and held one in each hand.

"We can take him," Sakura whispered to Sai, hoping to give him some courage. She could only imagine how scared he must have been right now.

Actually, he wasn't as scared and he would have been a few days ago. He felt a lot more confident. He managed to block one of Suzume's strikes and protect Sakura. Maybe he could do this after all.

* * *

Neji spun on his heels, keeping Yari in sight. He kept throwing large ice projectiles his way and it was all Neji could do to keep dodging them. When Yari was finally within range, he attacked. He threw out his palm and hit Yari in the neck, snapping his head clean off.

"Ah!" Neji jumped back, startled. Then he realized it wasn't really Yari. The head on the ground quickly turned to a ball of ice and so did the body.

"Nice try, guy." Yari laughed and jumped down from one of the trees. "Ice Style, Ice Plane Jutsu!"

The ground below quickly froze into a thick sheet of ice which Yari slipped into as his feet touched the smooth surface.

Neji stepped back and watched Yari swim under him like a fish in a frozen pond. He tried to stomp on him but his foot couldn't get through the ice. Yari only laughed. Any effort he made to reach him would all be in vain.

Yari wove another hand sign as he swam about. "Ice Style, Ice Spear Jutsu!"

A spear shot up from the ground and cut into Neji's pant leg. The frozen spear just grazed his flesh. The fabric took most of the damage. More spears rose up, forcing Neji to run. His path was blocked no matter where he went. He stayed close to one of the spears, hoping more wouldn't show up so close to the first. He stood there and waited for the rumbling to stop.

Yari rose from the frozen ground and into the spear behind Neji. He lifted himself from the ice with weapon in hand.

Neji looked around, making sure no more spears were coming. That's when he noticed Yari's reflection in one of the spears. He quickly spun around and hit Yari's arm away. The knife in his hand flew into a tree and sank into the bark. He started to retreat back into the ice, but Neji grabbed the back of his collar.

"Oh, no, you don't!" With a mighty heave, Neji ripped Yari out of the spear and onto the ground.

Yari slid across the ice, taken aback by Neji's strength. When he saw the boy coming for him, he quickly melted into the ice under his body and was spared.

Neji's fist hit the surface of the ice instead of Yari. He looked down and saw Yari laughing at him.

"Too bad, so sad!" he mocked. "As long as I'm touching the ice, I can slip right into it. Sucks to be you."

Neji took a kunai from his belt and started to chip away at the ice.

"Are you kidding me?" Yari scoffed. "Do you know how long that will take? The ice is thick, man. It'll take you ages just to make a dent in one spot. Do you really think you can break the whole sheet using just that one knife?"

"Not really."

"Then why are you doing it?"

"I thought I could pry you out, like an oyster."

Yari slapped his forehead and shook his head. "Really? You cannot be that stupid."

Neji kept chipping away at the ice.

Annoyed, Yari got ready to launch himself from the ice. He had no time for a tedious battle. "It's useless. I'll kill you before you can make a crack in it."

He threw himself out of the ice and right into Neji's hand.

"I had a feeling you wouldn't want to wait around for me to try. And to answer your question, no, I'm not stupid. I was just hoping you'd think that so you'd come after me. I had to get you out of the ice somehow."

Yari looked down at the kunai in Neji's other hand. It wasn't meant for the ice. It was meant for him.

"Who's stupid now?"

Yari tried to escape back into the ice but as long as Neji was touching him, he couldn't leave. To avoid being stabbed, Yari shot from the ice like a bullet and over Neji's head. He twisted free from Neji's grip and tried to go inside one of the pillar of ice he had created. Neji followed and reached out to grab him. Yari fell into the ice underfoot and waited just long enough for Neji to be above him, then shot straight up and punched him in the jaw.

For some reason, being punched from underground felt strangely familiar to him. Maybe that was why he was able to counter it.

Before he fell over, he grabbed Yari's hand and took him down with him. Neji landed on the ice first and Yari landed on top of him. Neji sat up and punched Yari in the face. Yari tried to escape into the ice again but it wasn't working. Then he realized it was because he was sitting on Neji. He wasn't touching it.

He pushed Neji away, but he kept pulling him back. Neji would not let him on to the ice.

"Let go!" Yari punched Neji and was able to get away this time. He took two steps and get ready to sink into the ice. He wasn't sinking. Something was underfoot.

He looked down and discovered an open scroll had been rolled out under his feet. It was preventing him from going into the ice.

Neji had just managed to roll it out in time. Yari quickly stepped off it, but the scroll was only meant to stop him for a moment, giving Neji enough time to get to his feet. He grabbed the back of Yari's shirt and didn't let go.

Growling, Yari spun, hoping to twist himself free. Neji held on with both hands. No matter how fast Yari spun, he would not let go.

"Get off!" Yari shouted.

Neji only held on tighter.

Yari tried everything to get Neji off him, but he was too stubborn. They ended up skating across the ice, or rather Yari was skating and Neji was being dragged along. Yari twisted and spun but Neji would not let go. Getting more agitated, Yari took Neji for a ride, picking up speed and twisting and turning every which way.

Finally, as he took a sharp turn, Neji lost his grip. He was whipped right into a pillar of ice.

"Oof!" Neji cried out as he slammed into it chest-first.

"Ha-ha!" Yari laughed triumphantly, just before slamming into a different ice pillar.

"Ha-ha!" Neji laughed back, pointing.

Yari lay on his back, rubbing his nose. "Ugh… I should really watch where I'm going…" At least the ice was there to help with the swelling. Mostly for his sore face and chest. His ego didn't need it in the slightest.

* * *

Seigi cracked the whip and Shikamaru dodged. The whip shattered several glass bottles on the table behind him, but he paid them no attention.

"I'm curious," Seigi said as he turned his body to keep Shikamaru in sight as he ran. "After you defeat me, what shall you do with me? Did you intend to kill me? Imprison me? What?"

"I'll capture you and have the leader of our group sort it out." Shikamaru instinctively held up his arm to block the whip coming at his head and received a gash on his forearm. He tried to yank the whip from Seigi's grip but he was too strong and pulled the whip back, pulling Shikamaru towards him as he did.

"What of Jumon?" he asked, sending the whip his way again. The barbed tip bounced off the headband Shikamaru wore on his left arm, protecting him from injury. "What shall you do about him?"

"What do you mean?" Shikamaru asked, looking around for something he could use as a shield.

"You say that I'm the bad guy, but Jumon is just as guilty as I am." Seigi cracked the whip, slapping a tray from Shikamaru's hands. "He's the one who cast the jutsu," he continued. "I didn't. Therefore, wouldn't that make him the bad guy here? He's just as guilty, if not worse."

"I doubt that," said Shikamaru. "He might have cast it, but you made him do it."

"He could have refused. He still cast it. He's the one at fault. Do you really think your leader will go easy on him just because he was in a cage? Your Hokage certainly won't go easy on him. All they need to hear is that he cast the jutsu. That makes him responsible. They will punish him severely. His actions will not be overlooked."

"You don't know our Hokage. It's possible she might take certain things into consideration. Besides, you're the one who forced him to do it and you told him how to reprogram all those ninja so they would answer only to you." Shikamaru blocked Seigi's whip with a book. "And you're the one who blackmailed him. It's not like he really had a choice. The Hokage will consider that, especially after I tell her all about how you held one of his family members hostage."

"I did no such thing," argued Seigi. "There was no blackmail and no hostage. We worked out a deal. I treat his sister's condition and he works for me in exchanged. Everything he and I do is of our own choosing. It's our own free will. I am not forcing Jumon to do anything. The Hokage will not be so lenient."

He gave the whip a sharp snap and the book split in two. Shikamaru ran to find a new shield but was cut off by the whip. It snapped at his toes and kept him from going any further.

"How cruel, you are," said Seigi. "Once I am captured, who will take care of Jumon's sister? Have you considered that?"

"The Hokage can treat her."

"Good luck getting them here in time. She needs around the clock care which I provide for her." Seigi gave a dramatic sigh and put a hand to his forehead. "Oh, the pity. To think Jumon almost believed your sweet words. Even if you do manage to get care of his sister, you left out the part where he will never be able to see her again. He will be punished for his crimes. For casting the jutsu and everything else. I think he's much better off working here with me, don't you?"

The whip came at Shikamaru and he blocked with his shadow. It was time for him to use whatever chakra he had left to take him down.

"I don't think so," he said in answer to Seigi's question. "You don't know what the Hokage might do when this is over. Besides, even if he gets punished, it's not going to be trading one cell for another. You know why? Because unlike this prison, we are not going to hold someone hostage while making him use the jutsu for personal gain. There's a huge difference. And, at least, we'd let him see her. He won't have to go sneaking around and need help from a complete stranger."

Seigi pulled his whip back. "You think you're better than me?"

"Oh, I know I'm better than you."

Seigi gave the whip a snap. "Then let's see it."

* * *

Please review! ^-^


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23:**

Jumon ran from their attacks in the domed medical room. He tried to keep out of their way as much as possible, but their battle was becoming erratic. Knives were being thrown so he moved away from the wall to take cover under a table, but stray attacks shattered beakers above his head. He crawled from one place to another, trying to keep out of reach.

Shikamaru bent backwards to avoid a thrown beaker and launched one of his shadows at Seigi. "Shadow Stitching!"

Seigi kicked a table between them and the shadow punctured the table instead. Shikamaru tried again but Seigi had grabbed a new weapon. His shadow clashed with the long blade of a sword Seigi swung one-handed.

"Where the hell did you get a sword?" Shikamaru asked in surprise.

Seigi gestured to the array of weapons hanging from the back wall among the medical supplies. Shikamaru barely noticed them surrounded by saws and metal pans. The metal blended in so well.

Shikamaru used his shadow to slash at Seigi but the sword kept getting in the way. His shadow was getting weaker, too. His chakra was running low. He didn't have time to swordplay with his shadow. He recalled his shadow and threw a barrage of kunai instead. Seigi deflected all of them and closed in on Shikamaru.

He waited for an opening then took it. He used his shadow to trap Seigi but it wasn't enough to secure him. He resisted and lurched forward one step at a time. Shikamaru did all he could to hold Seigi in place but he was too strong and Shikamaru was at his limit. His shadow fell away and retreated back to its owner.

Seigi raised his sword to cut Shikamaru but he blocked with a pair of kunai. He pushed Seigi back and retreated, hoping to stay away from that sword. As long as he stayed out of range, he could avoid being cut and recover a little bit of chakra.

His legs were shaking. His body had grown weak so quickly. Shikamaru hoped Seigi hadn't noticed. Thankfully he could still move for the time being. The last time he ran out of chakra, he could barely crawl. When that happened, he had backup. This time, he was on his own. He had to be careful and not use up every ounce of chakra. What little he had left, he had to save for his escape.

Seigi's sword could not reach him and Seigi knew that Shikamaru's shadow could still be used, but only at close range. He had enough chakra for that. If he waited for Shikamaru to come to him, he risked Shikamaru recovering even more chakra.

Shikamaru knew Seigi had figured it out. If he moved closer, his shadow could get him. Even if he didn't intend to use it, Seigi still deemed it a threat and Shikamaru didn't want him to know that he wasn't planning to waste what little chakra he had left to ensnare him with it. Therefore, Seigi would not come closer. But if he didn't approach, he couldn't use his sword to attack. It seemed they were at a stalemate.

That's when Seigi moved his left hand.

Shikamaru's face stung. He put a hand to his cheek and felt blood on his fingers.

In his right hand, he held the sword, in his left, he clutched the whip.

The whip was long a barbed. It exceeded his reach far more than the sword and it was flexible. Shikamaru had almost forgotten about the second weapon. He hadn't used it at since the reveal of his new weapon, favoring the sword and his ninja tools.

Seigi cracked the whip and Shikamaru cried out in pain. He raised his hand to protect himself and felt a stinging sensation on his palm. He held up both arms to shield himself. The whip cracked again and again. The pain was so great Shikamaru almost lowered his arms. Blood began to spray from his wounds and the whip sent it splattering every which way.

The whip cracked again and Shikamaru was forced to his knees. His vest was the whips next victim. It offered some protection but it wasn't much. A few quick snaps and it was torn open. Ninja tools began to spill out onto the floor and more blood appeared. The whip snapped across Shikamaru's neck, drawing more blood.

To protect himself, he turned his back to Seigi. He knew never to turn his body to an enemy, but it was either this or risk losing an eye. The front of his vest had already been torn open so his front was no longer protected. He had to do this to protect his vital areas.

The whip snapped and cracked, tearing open the back of Shikamaru's vest. It held on for several more swings before finally coming apart. It fell it tatters on the stone ground, leaving Shikamaru's body exposed. The only thing between the barbs and his flesh was the shirt he worn underneath the vest. It was made of protective material but it didn't last long against the whip. It was torn open as well, exposing Shikamaru's pink flesh.

The whip cracked again and Shikamaru screamed. Deep gashes appeared on his exposed flesh. The whip cracked and cracked again. The cuts blended into each other and his back turned red. He could feel his flesh peeling. He felt cuts on top of the cuts he already had. His pants were wet with the blood pouring from his wounds. He tried to move away but the whip kept him in place. He had nothing to shield himself.

"Stop! Stop!" he begged.

Seigi got in a few more licks before heeding his request. The whip slithered to the ground and lay still, soaked with blood.

Shikamaru opened his eyes. Blinking through his tears, he saw red stains on the floor and walls. He couldn't see his back but he felt the sting. It hurt so much. He tried to turn around but it was so painful to move. He slowly turned himself to the side to look at Seigi, using his hands to move himself.

"Pitiful," Seigi scoffed. "Look at you. The great and powerful Leaf shinobi. Look at the state you're in and look at where I stand. Between the two of us, who is the disgrace?"

Shikamaru couldn't help the whimpering that came from his throat. His limbs were shaking and his flesh was on fire. He looked around the room and found Jumon cowering by the wall. He looked horrified. Shikamaru could only imagine how he looked in that moment.

"S- so…" Shikamaru struggled to speak. "Y- you do… enjoy hurting ninja…"

"You stepped out of line." Seigi moved his hand and smirked when he saw Shikamaru flinch, expecting pain. "I use this on anyone who displeases me. I even used it on your friend Kakashi. He is from your village, isn't he?"

Shikamaru growled, but it sounded less menacing when mixed with his wincing.

"Don't worry. You won't remember this. The next time we meet each other, you're going to be bowing to me, not out of pain, but out of loyalty. I'll have Jumon use his jutsu on you and make you loyal to me. Just imagine the look of your team's face when they're fighting you. Oh, they'll beg and try to reason with you, but you won't remember them as your friends, but as your enemies."

Shikamaru looked at the floor, covered in his own blood. It covered his body. He tried several times to stand but his legs wouldn't work. He was stuck on his knees, propping himself up on his hands. With his lowered head, it looked like his was in a position of apology. That's what irked him the most. To look as if he were apologizing to this man. He lifted his head so it wouldn't seem that way.

"Jumon's jutsu is very thorough," Seigi went on. "You won't step out of line again. If so, you know what will happen."

Shikamaru forced himself to speak. "Seems like a waste to me."

"What does?"

"Making Jumon use the jutsu on me. It'll be a couple of days until he can use it again. Why not wait and use it once you have the rest of my team gathered up? Or am I the only one you want?"

"I could just lock you up in a cell and wait. You have to sleep sometime. And if you like being stubborn, I can also give you something to make you sleep. We're standing in a medical room, as you know." Seigi chuckled. "Of course, you are in a weakened state so perhaps I should wait. Don'y worry, I'll heal you. I need you to work for me, after all."

"What about the others? The ones you already have? They'll notice I wasn't here before. They'll suspect."

"No, they won't," said Seigi. "I'll have Jumon insert you into their memories while they sleep so in the morning they'll wake up believing you've always been there."

Shikamaru forced a laugh.

"What's so funny?"

"You. Your plan. You have some good solutions, but you're overlooking something important. You don't need to wait at all."

"Why's that?" asked Seigi.

"You have two people who can use the jutsu. Jumon and his sister. You have them both," explained Shikamaru. "Once you've healed her, you can alternate who uses the jutsu. Once Jumon has used all his chakra, you can use his sister while he recuperates. You can collect ninja for your army twice as fast."

Seigi shook his head. "Ah, but Jumon only agreed to serve me while I heal his sister. Once she's healed, he'll have no reason to serve me."

"Is that why it's taking so long?"

Seigi silenced him with a crack of his whip. "Once she's better, I could threaten to kill her if he still won't serve."

"But that wasn't your deal. And besides, how would you get her to obey you? From what I hear, she won't care if you threaten her brother. You plan to buy her off or something?"

"She might like working for me. You don't know. Besides, she'll owe me."

"Because of your treatments that took ages?"

"Healing takes time. Just see how long those cuts on your back heal."

Shikamaru snorted. "It sounds to me like you only planned for one person to work for you all this time. Did you ever intend for them to both work for you?"

"Why do you think I bothered to treat her wounds? Of course I considered that."

"So it wasn't just to get him to do your bidding?"

"Of course not. He serves, I heal. Then once she was up and walking, I would have her work for me as well. I would have come up with something. I would have found a way to make her do what I wanted."

"Would have?" Shikamaru repeated suspiciously. "Don't you mean 'will' come up with something?"

Seigi stared at him.

He spoke in the past tense.

Shikamaru's eyes narrowed. "It's just Jumon, isn't it?"

Seigi's mouth opened but he didn't say anything.

"She's dead, isn't she?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

Seigi glared at him.

A noise from the wall caused both of them to turn. The noise had come from Jumon who stood shakily, gripping the wall and one of the shelves to steady himself.

He heard them. They were so busy fighting that they barely remembered he was still in the room.

The look on Jumon's pale face made Shikamaru sick to his stomach. Memories of Asuma came flooding back to him. Jumon had just lost someone important to him. What was worse, it was the only family he had left. Asuma was like family to him. Shikamaru missed his sensei very much but he still had the rest of his team. Jumon was utterly alone.

The pain Shikamaru was feeling from his open wounds was nothing compared to what Jumon was feeling right now.

"My sister…" Jumon hunched over as if to vomit but his body just shook. He whimpered and gasped, clutching his stomach. "My baby sister…"

Shikamaru wanted to comfort him but he couldn't speak. He wanted to say he was sorry for his loss but he couldn't even manage that. He couldn't do anything for him.

"How long?" Jumon asked softly. "When? When did she..?" Jumon raised his head, looking at Seigi.

There was no point in denying it now. Seigi confessed the truth. "The day I showed her to you. She had died that morning. But you kept asking after her, needing proof I was holding up my end of the bargain, so I hooked her up to whatever I had on hand to give the illusion that she was still alive but in critical condition. She had only died a couple hours before so I figured you wouldn't notice with all my efforts."

"That long?" Jumon let a tear roll down his cheek.

"When I showed her to you, you were looking at her corpse. I just dressed it up to make her seem alive." Seigi sighed. "But that was a while ago. I knew you would ask after her again so I kept her body just in case. You were quiet about it for a while, then you started up again. So I went to fetch her body and found that it hadn't preserved the way I had wanted. Her body was starting to rot. I knew no amount of dressing it up would hide the truth. Not this time. You would notice, and without her around, you would have no reason to continue serving me. So I buried her in the woods. This way she wouldn't stink up the place and if you decided to go snooping around you wouldn't find her locked up in a trunk."

Jumon hunched over again, his breathing uneven and quick.

"That was why you sent them out and called them back," Shikamaru murmured. "You weren't testing our abilities anymore. You already knew who you wanted. You just had to get them out of here so you could dispose of her body without being noticed."

This explained the additional fight. Kakashi and the other ninja were ordered to leave so no one would be around to witness what Seigi was doing. Jumon was locked in a cage but the others had free run of the place. Once the body was buried, Seigi called them back.

Seigi turned and glared at Shikamaru. "Thanks to your big mouth, now he knows the truth."

"You were the one talking."

Seigi turned his body towards him and took a few steps forward. "I was debating whether or not to kill you. I wanted you for your jutsu, but there's no way you'd join me now. Since Jumon will undoubtedly refuse to use his jutsu anymore, there's no way I can force you. Which makes this a lot easier."

Shikamaru's eyes followed the sword Seigi raised over his head, preparing to bring it down on Shikamaru's neck. He was going to kill him and Shikamaru was too weak to move aside.

"Looks like the decision is made. There's no longer a point in keeping you around," said Seigi. "Consider this payback for costing me a valuable jutsu. You should have never come here, ninja of the Leaf."

Seigi brought the sword down and Shikamaru shut his eyes.

A metallic ring echoed through the domed room.

Shikamaru opened his eyes and saw Jumon standing between him and Seigi, holding a second sword. The sword he grabbed from the wall blocked Seigi's swing.

"Jumon…" Shikamaru knew he didn't have a chance against Seigi. The boy could barely walk when he first left his cell. There was no way he could hold his own in a fight if even Shikamaru had trouble against the opponent.

"Don't worry, Shikamaru. I got this."

Using both arms, he pushed his sword against Seigi's and threw him backwards. Seigi stumbled back in surprise but remained on his feet.

"It was my family jutsu that made us famous," said Jumon. "But it was our skills that made us ninja. We have the power to back it up. I was trained in the ways of the sword by my father. I know what I'm doing."

Jumon seemed stronger in that moment which led Shikamaru to believe he could do as he promised. Maybe it was the adrenaline pumping through his body, or maybe what Shikamaru witnessed before was just an act.

No, it wasn't an act. Jumon had been weakened being in that cage for so long with little food and no light. His body was stiff but adjusting well now that he was free to move about.

It was his rage that kept him standing. The strength of his resolve allowed Jumon to throw Seigi back and protect Shikamaru.

Jumon looked at Seigi with hatred. He hated him. He hated the man who lied to him. Who kept his sister in a trunk and buried her in the woods without a word to him. The man who made him use the jutsu that caused the demise of his clan. Who forced him to turn people against each other for his own pursuit of power.

Jumon gripped the sword tightly in both hands. "Stay out of this, Shikamaru. It's not just because you're injured. I want him for myself. I owe him for everything he's done to me. To me and my sister. And to you. He will pay for what he's done to everyone."

* * *

Now that Jumon knows the truth, what will happen?

Please review! ^-^


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24:**

Shikamaru's eyes moved back and forth as Jumon and Seigi clashed blades. Seigi's skill was not with a sword but Jumon was, making the fight relatively even. It didn't matter how big Seigi was if he was facing someone of greater skills than himself.

Jumon's anger fueled his attack, making him quick and strong, but erratic and very reckless. His body was still weak, but the adrenaline pumping through him allowed him to stay standing and move.

"How long?" Jumon demanded and he clashed blades again. "How long did you think you could keep this up? Lying to me? I already suspected that she was gone, but when you showed me her body, it restored my hope. When I saw those wires and tubes, I believed you were doing all you could to help her. But the more time passed, the more I started to wonder. You wouldn't let me see her again, so I suspected that she hadn't survived the treatment. I didn't want to believe it, but now I know. I know the truth. This confirms what I suspected."

"And yet you served," pointed out Seigi. "You suspected but you still served. It's only now that everything has been brought out into the open that you rebelled."

"I only suspected. I didn't want to believe it. But now I know the truth. Even if Shikamaru hadn't discovered it, I would have found out at some point. Like I said, how long did you think you could keep this up? Weeks turned into months and months into years. Did you think I would have continued to serve without seeing her for that long?"

"I figured I could just tell you her treatment-"

"Don't give me that!" Jumon snapped. "Treating her for months and even years! You really think I would buy that?"

"You don't have any medical knowledge, do you? I thought not. Depending on the injury or illness, some treatments do take months or even years, recovery can take even longer."

"I still would have stopped serving if you wouldn't let me see her at all. I know you'd threaten to stop treating her if I didn't serve, but if that happened then I wouldn't have a reason to serve you anyway. Again, I'm asking you how long you planned on doing this? How would you have gotten me to serve you then? After months and years of this?"

Seigi pushed Jumon away and swung his sword at his chest, missing. "I figured by that time, you would have found me some powerful ninja who could duplicate your jutsu, then I wouldn't need you anymore. Or even find a ninja with a jutsu that would allow me to control you and make you do what I wanted without need of a deal. You hadn't found me one yet, but I figured eventually you would. Not that it matters now. You'll no longer serve me, so there's no longer a reason to keep you alive."

"I only served you for my sister's sake. If she hadn't been injured, I never would have done any of this. I know what that jutsu can do. I should have never used it to help you. I only did it for her. If it was the only way, then…"

"If you hated it so bad, then why use it to help someone like me?" asked Seigi. "Just to save her life?"

"My clan is gone! She's all I had left in this world!"

"Oh, but you use that jutsu, even though it caused you such pain?"

"It didn't matter the pain, as long as her life was spared." Jumon slashed at Seigi, cutting his shoulder.

"You are weak!" Seigi spat. "You should have just left her here to get treatment and gone on your way."

"How would I know she was being treated? She's all I had left. I wanted to stay with her."

"After all your complaints about how she made you miserable? How she was such a bratty child and always had to have her way? Why would you want to be around that? Why would you want to protect that? After all she's done."

"She's still my sister! And I'm no saint, either."

Seigi scoffed and swung his sword, nicking the edge of Jumon's dirty shirt. Jumon slashed back and cut Seigi's leg.

Shikamaru listened to their conversation and still wondered why Jumon would go so far for his sister. Seigi had a point. Shikamaru understood that even if she was a brat, she was still his sister and the only family he had. It made sense he would want to protect her and stay with her.

Having it brought up again brought the questions back to his mind. Something about this still didn't make sense to him.

They clashed blades again and again. Finally, they broke apart and stood panting. Seigi had more cuts than Jumon but most of them were minor. Only a couple of them were deep.

They faced each other and pointed their swords forward. With their full weight behind them, they charged at each other in an attack. Their battle cries echoed off the ceiling and just as quickly turned to screams of agony.

Both attacks hit their mark at the same time. Jumon's sword was sticking out Seigi's back from where he had punctured his stomach. At the same time, Jumon had a sword sticking out of his own stomach. They had both run each other through.

Their painful screams fluctuated, twisting the swords around in their stomachs. Jumon moved his sword as much as he could, hoping to cause additional injury to Seigi's punctured organs while Seigi did the same to Jumon.

"Jumon!" Shikamaru cried, seeing the blood pouring onto the floor. He struggled to get to his feet to help him, though he knew it was too late.

"No, Shikamaru!" Jumon shouted. "It's ok! It's ok."

Shikamaru stopped and watched him hold the sword in place with his hand, keeping Seigi from pulling it out.

"Shikamaru…" Jumon said, his mouth filling with blood. "I have to confess something to you."

He listened, watching the sword in their guts buck up and down with their movement.

"Remember what I told you before? About my village?" Jumon spat the blood out of his mouth before continuing. "It wasn't my sister who cast the jutsu that night. It was me."

Just like his memory jutsu, some parts of his story had been altered.

Jumon gave Shikamaru a tearful look. "I was just so sick and tired of her having her way all the time and having to look the other way. I was so tired of her making a huge fuss that I wanted to teach her a lesson. Just once. I never thought the village would attack us like that. I never meant for her to get hurt."

Now it made sense. It wasn't just a sibling bond that made Jumon go this far for her. It was guilt.

Blood seeped through his clothing and onto the floor. The tears rolling down his cheeks mixed with the crimson puddle under his feet.

"I always had to look the other way. They said she was too young to understand. That she was only a child. Just a silly girl who didn't know any better. That I should let her have her fun. That I should let her have her way just this once. Then another time. And the time after that. I was older. I was supposed to look out for her. But I was just so tired of having to always stand aside and let her do what she wanted. I always thought it was unfair. I had had enough. I just wanted to get back at her. I just wanted to show her…"

Jumon gargled on the blood in his mouth. He gripped the sword in front of him tightly, preparing to pull.

"I didn't mean it!" he wailed. "I didn't think it would go this far. I didn't think the village would do that. I didn't mean it."

Jumon's pitiful wails made Shikamaru's heart ache. He understood why Jumon did what he did. He also understood why he would go so far to help her. If it meant saving his sister's life, he would use the jutsu that caused her injuries in the first place. No matter how much pain it caused him, no matter how conflicted, he would do it. Just to save her.

Jumon and Seigi pulled their swords out at the same time, both slicing the other's innards on the way out. Jumon dropped to his knees, gasping. Seigi staggered to one of the tables, desperately trying to save himself.

They were in a medical room. If he could close the wound, he might have a chance. He had to work quickly.

Seigi clutched the corner of the table in front of him, but it was too late to save himself. He fell, taking the table down with him. He lay on his back, surrounded by blood and medical tools.

"You miserable brat," he wheezed hatefully at Jumon. "I was this close to an army of my own. I did everything right. I was going to show them all. Why couldn't you have just left it alone? Look what you've done to me. You damn brat. I was going to do it. I was going to show them all. I was winning. Why did you have to..?"

Seigi stopped there and moved no more.

Shikamaru crawled to Jumon's side and held his head in his lap as he struggled to breathe.

Jumon held his hand as his breathing quickened. "I can never say I'm sorry," he cried into Shikamaru's knees. "I can never let her know how…"

"Shh." Shikamaru squeezed his hand. He knew he could not save him. Jumon's injuries were too great.

"I'm sorry, Shikamaru. At the very least I can tell you that."

"I know why you did it. I understand now."

Shikamaru had the last piece of the puzzle. He now knew why Jumon had done all this. It was to make amends for what he had done to his sister. He had caused the destruction of his own clan and turned the village against them, which led to his sister being injured and finally dying. All to get even with her. It was out of anger.

Jumon never intended for all this to happen. It was meant to be nothing more than a prank to get her back for making him miserable. He wanted to get even, but it got out of control. He never foresaw any of this. The target was his sister but so many innocent people fell victim because of his actions. He never wanted people to get hurt and he never wanted his sister to die.

Shikamaru knew he was sorry. Truly sorry.

"I forgive you, Jumon. I believe you. I know that you're sorry. You never meant any of this. I know that."

Jumon shivered. "I never meant… My sister…"

"It's ok." Shikamaru stroked his head. "It's ok."

Jumon gave a weak smirk and looked up at Shikamaru without turning his head. "Yeah. I guess so. The joke's on Seigi, anyway. I never told him about… the…"

"The what?" Shikamaru leaned closer.

"The reversal. The jutsu automatically lifts if the caster is gone. If anything happened to me, his army would disperse. He didn't know that. So the joke's on him if he ever tried to kill me. He would have lost his army. So even if I didn't kill him, he still would have lost."

Shikamaru's eyes widened. "So the jutsu..? My friends..?"

"Reset." He smiled. "They'll go back to the way they were before I messed with them. At least my death was good for something else."

Shikamaru looked down. "Something else? You mean you..?"

Jumon blinked his tears away. "The jutsu is too dangerous for anyone to possess. I never thought so until all this. Perhaps it's best if it's no longer in this world. I'm the last one who knows it, so without me around…"

Shikamaru knew the other reason Jumon wanted to die.

He gave Jumon's hand a squeeze. "You're forgiven. After all you went through to try to save her, even using the jutsu you hated… I know she forgives you. You tried to save her. You're sorry. You're sorry and she knows that. I know she does."

Jumon shivered again. "You… think… so?"

"Yes. I do. I forgive you and I'm sure she does, too."

Jumon smiled, but it was very faint. "I'm glad… you let me out of that cell. Thank you for… helping me. And for… making me realize… what I needed to do. For letting me find the truth. If nothing else… at least I have closure."

Hearing Jumon exhale his final breath, Shikamaru bowed his head.

* * *

T^T

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	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25:**

Neji slipped on a patch of ice and fell against a tree. Yari closed in on him from above. Neji's eyes widened.

Then suddenly, he knew what to do. He quickly changed his fighting stance and opened his eyes wide.

"Byakugan!"

Faster than the eye could see, he struck. His hands hit Yari multiple times in the chest and arms. He could see all his chakra points. He didn't hit all of them purposely, wanting to only hit enough to push him back. He threw out both hands, sending Yari flying into the tree he jumped out of.

As soon as Yari hit the tree, Neji realized what had happened.

Taking a deep breath, he stood tall, letting it all soak in.

His name was Neji Hyuga. He lived in the Leaf Village. He knew everything; everything that had been lost to him before. He remembered it all.

In his moment of shock and relief, Neji exhaled with a smile.

Having it all back was so comforting. He felt complete. He felt whole again.

He knew it all. He remembered. Doing what he just did was proof. Before he had no idea how to use those skills and now he could. He knew exactly what he was doing. He was himself again.

He saw Yari begin to stand up and got into another fighting stance. Yari looked up, seeing his stance.

"Whoa!" Yari held up his hands as if to push Neji back. Neji recognized this as a defensive position. Yari wasn't going to attack. He was surrendering.

Yari hadn't displayed this kind of behavior before so Neji did not attack. Instead, he watched him closely.

"Whoa, man. Chill, ok? Please wait a sec. Hold up."

Everything about his demeanor had changed. Even his eyes. They no longer held malice or cruelty. They were wide with confusion and uncertainty, almost frightened.

Neji lowered his arms, giving Yari a chance. It was a chance to either take advantage of the opening or to speak, and Neji knew Yari was not going to attack.

With his arms still raised defensively, Yari glanced around the woods, at every branch as if expecting someone to jump out at him. Seeing no one, Yari slowly lowered his arms, panting.

"I… I'm sorry." Yari looked at Neji with the same expression of uncertainty on his face. "I didn't mean to. I just… I'm not really sure what happened. I have no idea what I was thinking."

Neji could tell from his behavior that he was telling the truth. Neji also understood something else. It was something they had suspected before and had now been confirmed. In addition to Kakashi, Yari and the other men had their memories tampered with. It was clear from how Yari was acting now that he had no idea why he was here or why he was fighting in this battle.

"I don't know…" Yari said slowly, deep in thought. "I'm so confused. Why was I..?" He looked at Neji. "You, too? Your fighting skills suddenly changed. Just as you turned to hit me, I caught myself wondering why I was attacking you. Is your head feeling fuzzy, too?"

Neji didn't answer him but he conveyed enough to let Yari know that he was in a similar position.

"I suddenly remembered," Yari went on. "I was on my way to a location. I was given a mission. A few days out from my village in the mountains. I knew it was far but I took it anyway. It was a simple mission, I remember, the only problem was the distance. I decided to cut through this forest as a shortcut. It was so vast, I knew it would shave off some time instead of going around it, but it was still so big. I set up camp and then I…"

Yari frowned in confusion. Everything was so clear to him up to this point. This was where it stopped making sense.

"When I woke up in the morning… I remembered a different mission. I don't know who gave it to me, but it wasn't the one I had originally. I didn't even remember that one. I couldn't until now."

"I couldn't remember things I used to know either," Neji confessed. He wanted to let Yari know that he wasn't alone.

Yari looked at him. "I don't know what happened, but I didn't mean to attack you. I don't know why I thought you were an enemy. I was confused and I…"

He wasn't a threat now. Neji knew that. He stepped back with a nod of his head, letting Yari know there were no hard feelings.

"Oh, jeez, what day is it? How long was I in a daze?" Yari looked around. "My mission. I've got to get going." He looked at Neji as he bent his knees. "Sorry, but I have to go. Are we cool?"

Neji nodded to him.

"Great. See ya." Yari sprang into the trees and was gone.

Neji stepped back, listening to the sound of the leaves.

He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. Then he opened his eyes and let out a soft chuckle. He was so happy to have it all back.

* * *

Giving a battle-cry, Supaisu charged at Yamato with weapon in hand. Yamato spun around and got ready to defend himself.

In the middle of his run, Supaisu's expression changed. Suddenly, he stopped running, half skidding, half stumbling on the uneven terrain.

"Wait!" he yelled, throwing out his arm.

Yamato did not attack.

Supaisu panted and looked at the ground, thinking. "Wha… Why am I fighting you? This makes no sense. I… I don't have a reason to…"

His demeanor had changed. Supaisu was not the blood-thirsty ninja he had been fighting a moment ago.

"Was… Was I under genjutsu?" he asked himself. "Why did I think I had to do this?"

"Are you back to your senses now?" Yamato asked him.

Broken from his thoughts, Supaisu looked up. "You… You're from the Leaf Village, aren't you?"

"I am."

Supaisu took a step back. "Listen. I'm sorry about just now. I don't know what got into my head. I was confused. I have no beef with your village. I didn't mean to attack you. I don't know why I was."

"But you remember it?"

He nodded. "I do. It makes no sense, though. It's kind of like sleep-walking, I guess. I remember why I was doing it, and it all made perfect sense, but now it doesn't." He shook his head, frowning. "Why the hell did I think that was my mission? And who the hell was that guy? Why did I think I answered to him?"

"The one who was giving you orders?" Yamato asked. "Where is he?"

"In a cave in the woods. Just about half a mile from here. Northeast."

Yamato made a mental note of that. If this man was free from the jutsu he was under, then something must have happened to his former boss. Shikamaru must have succeeded.

"I got no beef with your village," Supaisu said again. "Please don't hold this against me or think it's a reflection of my village. The last thing we want is to have the Leaf as our enemy, thinking we threw the first punch. That was not the intention. My boss will have a fit if he finds out I attacked someone from the Leaf without reason."

"I won't mention this," Yamato told him. "I know you weren't in your right mind. I can see that now."

"Thanks for the understanding." Supaisu's eyes widened. "Ah, man, what day is it? How long was I out here? My mission. My real mission…"

It all came back to him. He remembered everything. Even why he was in this forest in the first place.

"I was asked to go to another village for a meeting. I had to go through this forest to get to it. It was a simple mission, so I went alone. It was just a meeting. But… But that was days ago. Ah, crap. I'm gonna get chewed out for this one. I am so late. I doubt they postponed the meeting all this time. I gotta go. Maybe I can get there and explain myself. What am I going to tell my boss?"

The jutsu must have been cast on this man as he was passing through the forest. Under its influence, he must have forgotten about his real mission and started attacking the people the caster told him to. He was under it for days, perhaps weeks. Yamato could only imagine the headache this man was in for when he arrived at his meeting. This man had his sympathies.

"I gotta go. No hard feelings, right?"

Yamato shook his head. "We're good."

"Sorry about all that. See you." With that, the man left.

Yamato was thankful the battle between them was over. No longer driven by the jutsu, this man was actually quite reasonable.

Then Yamato had another thought. If this man had returned to normal, then perhaps the others were as well. Sai and Neji might also be back to their old selves. He had to find them and find out.

* * *

Seeing Sakura in trouble, Sai tried to help her, but he couldn't think of anything. His sword was gone and his drawings weren't coming to life. All he could do was watch and beg the man for mercy.

Then suddenly, he knew exactly what to do.

He held up the scroll and focused the exact amount of chakra he needed. "Super Beast Scroll!"

The tiger leapt off the page and flew at the man looming over Sakura. The tiger bit his arm and pushed him away.

Sakura got up, relieved. She turned her head and saw Sai drop to his knees. "Sai?"

Sai knelt on the ground, staring straight ahead. The scroll fell out of his hand and rolled across the grass.

"Sai?" Thinking he was hurt, Sakura came over to him. "Sai, are you ok?"

"I… I am… Sai. My name is Sai." His face broke into a wide smile. "I remember."

"You do?"

"I remember everything." The shock of having all his memories suddenly return caused Sai's legs to go weak. As he sat there, he played back all the memories he had regained and knew he had them all.

"Sai?"

He jumped to his feet, overcome with emotion. "I'm myself again!" he cried. "I'm me! It's me! I'm back! I know who I am again. I finally have it all back."

Sakura was so happy for him, she hugged his shoulders. "Sai, that's wonderful! I'm so happy for you."

Sai allowed himself to be hugged. It felt good. Having all his memories back felt even better. Such comfort and completion. He was so relieved.

The man they were fighting started to get up. Sai and Sakura sprung apart and faced him. Seeing the man's behavior, Sai blocked Sakura with his arm. This man wasn't going to attack them.

Suzume looked around, letting his own memories slowly sink in. The false memories were pushed aside to make room for his real ones, leaving him feeling dizzy and confused. In time, he realized that the real memories resurfacing were his own and that the fake ones were lies. He remembered everything.

"Are you ok?" Sai asked him.

Suzume turned his head. "I think so."

"Do you need medical attention? You're probably hurt from the attack."

"Attack?" he said slowly. "That's right. I attacked you first. Why did I do that? Oh, right. I was asked to. Wait, who was that guy? Why did I..?"

"Are you ok?" Sakura asked, seeing his behavior. This man was no longer a threat. He seemed disoriented.

"I was on my way back to my village and fell asleep under a tree. When I woke up, I no longer remembered my village. I thought I lived somewhere else." Suzume rubbed his head. "Did something hit me when I was asleep?"

"I think it might have been something else," said Sai. "The same thing happened to me, only I couldn't remember anything. Not even my name."

"That's rough, buddy." Suzume started to stand. "Whatever it was, my head is feeling a lot clearer now." He touched his forehead. "Where's my headband? I thought I had it on my head. I must have dropped it in the woods somewhere."

"Need help looking for it?" Sai asked innocently.

"Nah. I can get another one back home. I lose them all the time. Practicing my jutsu usually blows them away without me knowing." Then he looked at them with concern. "Oh, wait, that's right. I attacked you guys. Are you ok? I didn't mean to hurt you. I was confused."

"We're ok. Don't worry about it."

"Oh, good." Then he paused. "I wonder who those other ninja were. The ones I was with before."

"You mean Kakashi and those other ninja?"

"That name does sound familiar but I don't know any Kakashi. At least, not from my memories. I must have run into that group and started hanging around with them. Not sure why. Must've been some bump on the head. It's too confusing to think about. I gotta get back home. If you two are ok, I'm gonna leave."

Neither of them protested as Suzume took off in the opposite direction. Sakura and Sai turned to each other and smiled.

"I'm glad you're back, Sai."

"Me, too. It feels great."

Sakura gasped loudly. "If you're back to normal and so was that guy, then maybe Kakashi-sensei is back to normal, too!" She was bursting with excitement. She had to find him. She wanted to find out as soon as possible.

* * *

Hebi got ready to throw his vines in Kiba's direction. When he saw Akamaru coming his way, teeth bared, he scoffed. "Don't make me laugh. Your mutt's no match for me. It should be on a leash anyway."

Hebi held Akamaru back with his vines, but he kept barking and tried to force his way through. Hebi walked closer and put his hand on Akamaru's head, taunting him. Akamaru tried to bite him but his teeth could not reach.

Hebi snorted with laughter. "This the best you got? You and this mangy little do… dog?"

Hebi paused, his hand on Akamaru's head. He leaned closer, as if making sure he was seeing what he was really seeing. They stared at each other.

Then Hebi's eyes grew wide. "D- Dog!" He screamed and jumped backwards, stumbling and falling over his own feet. "Dog! Stay away from me!"

Kiba looked from Akamaru to his opponent. "Dude, what's your problem?" Hebi was not acting like he was a moment ago.

"I'm afraid of dogs!"

"Since when?" This was never apparent when he was fighting them in battle. There was never so much as a hint that this man was afraid of dogs.

"I've been afraid of them ever since I was a little kid and a dog bit me! Tore my leg open and I had to get stitches. That's the kind of thing you never forget." Then Hebi paused. "Then why did I forget up until now?"

His vines started to recede and Akamaru was free. Seeing how terrified this man was of him, he did not move from where he was.

Hebi sat on the ground, clutching his head. "I feel so mixed up. Why the hell did I forget that I was afraid of dogs up to this point? And why was I attacking you guys in the first place? I remember getting an order from some guy to do it, but I never met the man before in my life. Why did I listen to him?"

"Were you under a jutsu by chance?" asked Kiba.

"I must've been. I don't know how else I could get so mixed up."

"Where are you from?"

"I'm from the Village Hidden in the Stone. I was on my way to another village for a meeting. It was far so I spent the night in this forest. After that, it gets a little fuzzy. I mean, I remember what I was doing, I just don't know why I did it. I remember being ordered to do it, but those orders came from a guy I don't know. I thought I knew him, but now that my head is a little clearer, I know that I never met him before. I don't know why I thought I answered to him. He's not my boss."

"You did what he said even though you had no idea who he was?"

"I just told you that I thought I did. My head's all messed up. I wasn't thinking clearly before. Now I am. It must have been some sort of genjutsu. I don't know what else it could be."

"Hmm." Kiba scratched his head. "I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to do with you now. Our captain told us to capture you guys and figure out why you were acting all weird, but now that you're back to normal I don't see the point."

"I got a meeting to get to anyway. If it's still going on. I must have been under genjutsu at least a week. Those other guys, too."

"Other guys?"

"Yeah, the ninja I was with before. I don't know them. At the time, I thought we were all part of the same team. Now I know better. They might be back to normal, too. I'd like to know what the hell happened, but I don't have time for that. I have to get going."

"Our mission is to figure that out," said Kiba. "We'll work out all the details. Don't worry about it."

"I hope the Leaf doesn't think I attacked you on purpose. The last thing my village needs is for the Leaf to think we declared war on you guys."

"Nah, we're good. Right, Akamaru?"

Akamaru licked the man's shoulder to show him no hard feelings, but that just made him scream and back into a tree. Akamaru lowered his head with a whimper.

"Keep that thing away from me!"

"He's not going to eat you!" Kiba barked.

"I'm still not taking any chances."

"Ah, go to your meeting!"

Akamaru barked and Hebi scrambled up the tree. He got in one last word before using the trees as an escape route and took off.

"Who are you calling a mutt?" Kiba shouted after him.

* * *

Kakashi fell strangely silent. "Wait," he mumbled. "Wait, my memory is starting to come back to me."

Naruto waited anxiously, hoping it was the memory he was longing for. He prayed it was the memory Kakashi had lost.

What if it wasn't? Would he attack? Would he be more convinced than ever that this was the life he lived and not the one Naruto spoke of. What would happen then?

Kakashi stood there, absorbing all the memories that came flooding back to him at once. The reality he had been living in so far was growing dimmer inside him. He still remembered them, but it didn't seem like reality anymore. They seemed more like a life he lived within a dream or a nightmare. The memories he regained spoke of a different truth, one which seemed much more plausible. A more detailed truth. One he knew quite well. He lived it. He remembered it.

The memories flooding into his mind all at once left Kakashi feeling dizzy on his feet. He brought his hands to his head, as if to stop his head from spinning.

The rapid current calmed into a gentle stream, like waters released from a dam pooling into an empty trench. Once that dam was broken and the trench was filled, the current calmed significantly and Kakashi was able to make sense of it all.

"I… I do know you." Kakashi was looking at him again. "You're Naruto."

He nodded up and down.

"Naruto…" Kakashi blinked. Suddenly, it all made sense. "I remember. I am from the Leaf. I remember this photo. This was from my bedroom." Kakashi looked from the photo to Naruto. "You went into my house?"

Naruto didn't care if Kakashi was annoyed at him for that or not. He was just happy he knew where the photo was from.

Kakashi soon forgot his chagrin and felt his memories swirl around him. It was like opening a curtain and letting the sun shine through. The heavy fog was lifted and Kakashi was able to see clearly again.

He had been trapped in a false reality for so long. The reality he recovered was far better than the life he had been living. It was more clear, it was brighter and filled with so many people. So many pleasant memories. So many sad ones. So many people to cheer him from such sad memories and create better ones.

Overcome, Kakashi started laughing. "I remember. I remember! I'm myself. I'm myself again. I'm me!"

Naruto jumped up and down, unable to contain himself. "Kakashi-sensei!" he cheered, throwing his hands in the air. "You're back!"

"I remember you! I do! How could I ever forget you, Naruto? I'm so sorry. I didn't…"

Kakashi's head turned to the left. Kakashi and Shizuka faced each other.

"You!" they shouted in unison and pulled out their weapons.

Naruto's celebration ended and was left standing with his arms still raised in the air, looking from one ninja to the other. "What's going on?" he asked slowly.

They were such close friends before. Why were they suddenly at each other's throats?

They glared at each other, taking a fighting stance.

"I remember now," said Kakashi. "I was fighting you."

Shizuka nodded. "I remember that, too. Whatever happened to us made me forget. We're enemies."

"You are?" Naruto was so confused. He had no idea. They seemed like such good friends.

Then again, if the spell they were under could cause Kakashi to forget Make Out Paradise, then it wasn't that surprising that he would forget who his enemies were.

"My mission," Kakashi said slowly, recalling past events. "I was assigned to collect a scroll from a location west of here. You intercepted me."

"That's right," said Shizuka. "I was also given a mission. It was to grab the same scroll you were after. Since I was supposed to grab it, I couldn't let you get to it first."

"We fought," Kakashi went on. "I ended up with the scroll and managed to escape. After I put some distance between us, I rested for the night under a tree. I fell asleep. The next morning, I woke up and instead of going back to my village, I went somewhere else. We gathered at the same spot as if we had done it hundreds of times. This time when we saw each other, I did not see you as an enemy but as a friend."

"Same here."

"So wait a minute, let me get this straight," Naruto said, his mind buzzing. "So you two were fighting each other over a scroll and then got hit with some kind of jutsu that gave you new memories and that's how you ended up friends?"

"Seems like it."

"So you both were hit with the same jutsu? And you became friends? You forgot you were enemies?" Naruto rubbed his head. "Were you even enemies in the first place? Just because you guys were after the same scroll?"

"My village wanted to obtain that scroll because it has powerful secrets inside. My village was worried if it fell into any other hands, it would be used against us. Other ninja villages would seek to use it on innocent civilians or even declare war on neighboring ninja villages. We couldn't let that happen, so I was assigned to get it before it landed in enemy hands."

Shizuka had good reasons for going after the scroll. As did Kakashi.

"The Hokage of my village assigned me to get the scroll for a similar reason. However, it was never meant to be used once it was obtained. Instead, we were going to have it sealed and put away in a safe location where no one could use it. She knows it could be used to bring about war and isn't interested. The whole purpose of my mission was to take it back to my village to ensure no one would use it."

They both wanted the scroll. They both had the same mission. Their intentions were slightly different. One wanted to secure it before another village could use it while the other wanted to do the same thing but make sure no one could use it against anyone.

Shizuka wasn't leaving without that scroll. After being defeated by Kakashi the first time, he pursued him, hoping to retrieve it and take it back to his village. Losing his memories prevented him from doing so. If only that hadn't happened. Now he was behind schedule.

"Do you guys have to fight?" Naruto asked. It seemed very needless. Besides, he didn't want this moment ruined by another fight. "Neither of you guys want to use it."

"How do I know?" Shizuka asked with a growl. "How do I know the Leaf isn't planning on using it to attack my village? Or to use it on other villages? Can you turn your back on such power? I was told other villages would use it on us. I have to prevent that from happening."

"I told you that the Hokage isn't interested in such things. She wants peace, not war. There may come a battle in the future where we need as many people as we can get to help us fight. Why would we want to make enemies?"

"Future battle? Sounds like something you would want the scroll for."

"We only wish to secure it. Nothing more. We want to prevent it from being used."

Naruto looked back and forth. Naturally, he would take Kakashi's side in a fight, but he didn't feel right about fighting Shizuka. He's the one who helped him get Kakashi back. He seemed to actually care about him. Or was that just an effect of the jutsu he was under?

Shizuka stared at Kakashi. He knew he still had the scroll on his person. His mission was to get it back from him and bring it home. He couldn't risk it being used.

But Kakashi said the Leaf wasn't looking to use the scroll on anyone. They wanted to secure it. That wasn't any different from what his village wanted to do. In that sense, it really didn't matter who had it if the outcome would be the same.

That is, if he could trust the Leaf to do as they claimed. How did he know the Leaf wouldn't go back on its word? How did he know Kakashi spoke the truth? He could have been lying. Perhaps they we preparing to attack neighboring villages as soon as the scroll was in their hands. Villages wanted power. He had no idea what was in the scroll, but he was told it was powerful. That word drove people to do unspeakable things to obtain it. He knew other villages wanted to. What made the Leaf any different from those other villages?

Kakashi was representing the Leaf in this moment. If he trusted Kakashi, then he would trust the Leaf Village. The question was, could he trust Kakashi?

Could he?

Shouldn't he?

They weren't really friends to begin with. The jutsu made them forget they were enemies. If it weren't for the jutsu, nothing would have changed.

Shizuka wasn't so sure. The jutsu may have made them forget they were enemies, but it didn't make them friends. He was sure of it. The memories were false, not their friendship.

Was it even a friendship? Their memories dictated that they worked together. Other than that, whatever happened between them was on their account.

Shizuka eyed Kakashi up and down, deciding if he was worthy of his trust.

This man was an enemy. He wanted the scroll as well. He said his village didn't want to use it, but could he trust that? Could he put his faith in this man? Could he trust Kakashi's words?

Why shouldn't he?

Why shouldn't he trust the man who got whipped in his place? Who took a beating to protect him and spare him pain? The one who took his teasing countless times with only minor teasing back? The one he fought alongside the whole time he thought he was someone else? The one person who gave him security?

Shizuka did care about Kakashi. He was willing to do whatever it took for Kakashi to realize the truth, no matter what it took. It wasn't just because he cared about Kakashi, it was because he knew Kakashi would do the same for him. That's what friends did for each other.

If they were friends then, why not now?

Had that much really changed?

Shizuka glanced over at Naruto and back at Kakashi.

That boy was willing to go so far for his sensei when any sane person would have given up some time ago. He was from the same village. Shizuka remembered the battles they faced and how the Leaf ninja fought. He witnessed Kakashi's compassion, even under a jutsu. He witnessed Naruto's loyalty. How far he was willing to go to keep a promise.

Even to get the scroll, Kakashi did not try to kill him. And now that they were facing each other, Kakashi was waiting for him to make the first move.

Wasn't this man worthy of his trust?

Shizuka let out a heavy sigh and put his weapon away. "Take it."

"What?"

"The scroll. It's yours. You got to it first." Shizuka turned his head away so he didn't have to meet Kakashi's visible eye.

"You're going to let me take it back with me?" Kakashi lowered his weapon.

"On the condition that you not use it against innocent people. Or against my village. Promise me that." Shizuka looked down. "If you're true to your word and do not wish to use it, then I see no issue in letting you have it."

"I promise I will never use this scroll against you or any innocent person," said Kakashi. "But your mission…"

"My mission was to keep it out of enemy hands. I do not consider you an enemy." Shizuka then mumbled under his breath, "not anymore."

Kakashi straightened up. "Are you sure, Shizuka?"

Hearing Kakashi say his name made him remember the life they had under the jutsu.

Shizuka turned to look at him. "The jutsu may have given us false memories, but the friendship we had was real."

Kakashi remembered. Then he nodded to Shizuka and put the kunai back in his pocket. "Thanks. But what will you tell your boss?"

"I'll tell him it's secure." Shizuka started to walk away, then stopped. "Kakashi."

"Yes?"

Shizuka lowered his head and muttered, "Thanks. For all that."

Kakashi grinned. "No problem. Maybe we'll meet again sometime. Hopefully when we're not both after the same thing. I wouldn't feel right about fighting you now. Kind of awkward."

Shizuka scoffed. "Crybaby."

Shizuka bent his knees, preparing to spring.

"Thanks!" Naruto called behind him.

Shizuka didn't turn around. "See you," he said with his back to them and jumped away.

* * *

Please review! ^-^


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter: 26**

Naruto walked beside Kakashi as they made their way through the forest. He didn't take his eyes off Kakashi for a minute. Kakashi suspected it was because he was afraid he would take off again.

"What was it like?" Naruto asked him, unable to contain his curiosity. "Being under that jutsu?"

Kakashi shrugged. "Not much to tell, really. Looking back, it feels like I was playing a role this whole time. Remembering how I was, it feels like I was a different person. The things I did… I'm so sorry."

"It wasn't your fault, Kakashi-sensei."

Kakashi was about to say something but stopped. Naruto turned his head and saw the rest of the team walking towards them. Naruto jumped up and down, waving his arm to get their attention.

Kakashi hesitated, ashamed at his behavior. It was awkward having to face them now. He knew he had to face them at some point, but he couldn't shake the feeling of immense shame. Part of him felt like he couldn't go back after this. Another part told him the sooner he got this over with, the easier it would be to go back home. He might as well do it now. Besides, these were his friends. Sure, he attacked them and tried to kill them, but they would forgive him. Wouldn't they?

Half his mind told him to run and never look back, the other told him he was being ridiculous and shouldn't let the emotion of shame control him. He had to work through this. As soon as he did, they could all put this behind them.

Seeing how shy Kakashi was being, Naruto gave his arm a tug. Kakashi numbly followed.

Upon seeing him, Sakura stopped in her tracks. Naruto was with him, so he probably wasn't going to attack. If Neji and Sai were back to normal, then he must have been as well. There was still the uncertainty. She wasn't sure what to expect.

"Guys, he's ok!" Naruto shouted happily. "He's back! Kakashi-sensei's back!"

"The other guys seemed to remember who they were as well," said Kiba. "I guess that means everyone's back to normal, right?"

Sakura stood where she was and waited for Kakashi to say something to reassure her.

Kakashi looked at the faded burn on her arm. The same feeling telling him to run was getting stronger. How could he face her after what he did? It would spare him all this emotion if he just avoided it all together. If he ran the other way, he wouldn't have to face any of this.

The other, more rational part of him encouraged him to step forward and do the right thing, no matter how uncomfortable it was.

"Sakura," he said hesitantly. He looked down out of shame. "I'm sorry." He forced himself to look at her and said more confidently, "I'm so sorry."

Hearing him say those words brought tears to her eyes. "Kakashi-sensei…" He truly was back.

"I'm sorry. I…"

She shook her head, smiling. "No, it's ok. Really. I know you didn't mean it. And I know it's you. I know you're back to normal." She sniffled. "Because the other you would never apologize to me. Only the real you would ever show concern for something like that."

"I didn't mean to…"

"It's ok!" she insisted. "You didn't do it. You would never hurt me. The one who did this was someone else." She put a hand over the mark on her arm. "See? You're even apologizing for what someone else did."

As far as Sakura was concerned, the one who attacked her wasn't Kakashi. It was a stranger. Everyone else seemed to be in agreement with her judging from their reactions. They didn't hold anything against Kakashi. He was forgiven.

"It really was someone else," said Yamato. "You and all those other ninja didn't act like themselves. You had no idea who we were and neither did they. You were under a jutsu. You can't be held responsible for your actions."

"I still feel horrible for what I did. Especially now that I do remember who you are."

"We can sort of relate on some level," said Neji. "Sai and I were hit with a similar jutsu that had us forget everything, even our own names. I have to admit, I feel pretty embarrassed about how I acted before. I wasn't myself at all."

"Neither of us were," said Sai. "Can you really blame us for acting so different when we had no idea what was going on? Kakashi is in a similar position. He didn't know."

"And if we were found by the enemy, who's to say we wouldn't have acted the same way you did?" Neji added. "The enemy could have convinced us that we hated the Leaf and should attack it. Without our memories, we wouldn't have known better. I say this deserves a free pass."

"What about all those other ninja?" asked Kiba. "I let my guy go. Once he stopped attacking me, I figured there was no longer a reason to go after him. He had his own mission to get to. But what about the others? Are they all free to go?"

"I'd say so," said Yamato. "They weren't in control and therefore can't be held responsible for their actions. Once they snapped out of it, they were no longer a threat to us. Basically, they were all hostages. Now they're free."

"But why? Why did everyone snap back to normal?"

"Shikamaru must have succeeded in his infiltration," said Yamato. "I have an idea of where we need to go. The one I was fighting said where it was from our position. We should go there and make sure he's ok."

"I know exactly where it is," said Kakashi. "It's this way."

Kakashi led the group through the trees. Naruto left his side only for a moment to check on Neji and Sai. They also appeared to be their usual selves, but he wanted to make sure. Once he saw that they were indeed back to normal, Naruto threw an arm around each of them in celebration. Sai accepted the one-armed hug while Neji tried to pull himself in the other direction.

"No doubt Lee's going to hug me as well as soon as he finds out," he muttered as he fought against Naruto's arm.

"Yup. You're normal again."

They exited the trees and Kakashi pointed to a small opening in the side of a rocky hill. The group started to move closer to it but stopped when they saw someone coming out of the opening. Unsure if it was an enemy or not, they stood their ground.

It was Shikamaru. He pulled himself out of the opening and lifted his head, looking up at them.

Ino was overjoyed to see him, then stopped, noticing the blood covering most of his body. "Shikamaru, you're hurt! What happened?"

"I'll heal him," Sakura said, rushing forward. Ino joined her and they started to get to work healing his injuries.

"It's ok," he told them. "Not all the blood is mine."

The group gathered around Shikamaru, some asking questions and some just staring. Shikamaru saw Kakashi standing among them wearing his normal expression and knew he had returned to normal, just as Jumon said. Sai and Neji looked like their old selves again, too.

Kakashi saw the long gashes on Shikamaru's flesh and knew what it was from. He grimaced, remembering the whip's sting on his skin. Shikamaru got a worse beating than he did.

"What did you get hit with?" asked Ino. "Look at these scratches."

"It was a barbed whip," answered Kakashi. He knew its sting. "The man I answered to was named Seigi. He was our boss. He carried a barbed whip and used it as punishment if we failed our assignments or did anything to displease him. It was meant to keep us in line."

"Then you must have faced the boss," said Ino.

"Where is he?" Naruto growled.

"Yeah," added Kiba. "I'd like to give that guy a piece of my mind!"

"Don't bother, he's dead," said Shikamaru. "I watched him die."

"Then when you said not all of this blood was yours..?"

"I'm not the one who killed him." Shikamaru looked at the bloodstains on his pant legs. "But I was with the one who did."

He could still see Jumon's head in his lap. His pale, shaking body, using the last of his strength to speak. All Shikamaru could do was hold his hand so he wouldn't be alone.

"Say, Kiba?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask you for a favor?" Shikamaru asked him. "Can you and Akamaru go into the woods and find some loose soil? It shouldn't be too far."

"Loose soil? Like when something gets buried?"

"Yeah, but don't dig it up. I know what's buried there."

While Kiba and Akamaru did as they were told, the rest of the group started to make plans. Some of them still had unanswered questions and weren't shy about asking them out loud. When they questioned how Seigi recruited all those ninja and what sort of jutsu he used, Shikamaru had to speak up.

"Seigi wasn't the one who used the jutsu. Like I said, I was with the person who killed Seigi."

The group quieted. "Who else was with you?"

* * *

After Kiba and Akamaru found what Shikamaru sent them out for, they returned and pointed it out to him. Shikamaru then asked for another favor. He was too injured to do it himself, so he asked someone to carry Jumon's body to the surface and help bury him. He told them where.

Soon they were all gathered around two piles of dirt. Shikamaru explained that the second mound belonged to Jumon's younger sister. He figured Jumon would want to be buried beside her.

"He went through so much for her," he said as they finished burying him. "At least they can be together now."

"So he's the one who cast the jutsu on everyone?" asked Naruto.

"Yes."

"I know it's the right thing to do, but making him a grave and finding his sister's is a bit generous, don't you think? I mean, after everything he put us through?" said Ino. "After what he did to Kakashi and Neji and Sai and all those other people… All those under the jutsu tried to kill us, and he's responsible. He deserves-"

"Ino," Shikamaru said sharply and she stopped. "He did it for his sister. Seigi said he would heal her if he served him. Jumon didn't have much of a choice."

"But you told us that he was the one who started the whole thing. He cast the jutsu on his village and they attacked them. It's really his fault his sister got hurt."

"Which was why he wanted to do everything he could to save her. He wanted to make amends."

"By using the same jutsu? That doesn't make much sense to me. Why would he use the same jutsu that got his sister hurt and his clan destroyed for a guy, knowing what it could do? He must have known what would happen."

"He was repulsed by the jutsu after what happened," explained Shikamaru. "He only agreed to use it again, knowing what it could do, because it was for his sister. That should tell you how much he cared about her and how sorry he was. To use a jutsu like that again, having the feelings he had about it. He was using the same jutsu that hurt his sister in order to save her."

"Kind of ironic, isn't it?" said Kiba. "There must have been other ways."

"He couldn't think of any. They couldn't go back to his village and they were wandering around in this large forest for a long time. Seigi happened upon them first. Jumon didn't have much of a choice if he wanted to save her. He was really sorry for what he did. He was also grieving over the loss of his whole clan. He was desperate. Everyone keeps saying that there were better ways, but think about it from his perspective. He probably felt lost. Like there was nothing else. His back was against the wall. He did what he thought was best for his sister. Even if it meant other people would probably get hurt by the jutsu, as long as his sister was safe, he was willing to overlook it. Everything he did, he did for her."

"Even after she kind of drove him to use the jutsu on his village in the first place?"

"He didn't mean for all that to happen. He didn't think it would get that out of hand. He was sorry. He wanted to teach her a lesson, not get her and the rest of the clan killed."

"Shows what can happen when you seek revenge," said Kakashi. "You think it's evening the score and you think it's justified, but you don't realize that you could be hurting innocent people along the way."

He thought of Sasuke and his desire to avenge his clan and take down his older brother. Did he not realize what it was doing to Naruto and the rest of them, or did he simply not care?

Jumon was yet another cautionary tale about revenge.

"You bonded with him, didn't you?" asked Sakura. "This Jumon guy you met. I can tell."

"I had to get information out of him. I can't help it if I learned more about him than I intended."

"I'm not saying it's a bad thing."

Naruto looked at the two graves. He never met Jumon, but he did feel sorry for him. He wasn't perfect. He tried to get even with someone, it got out of hand, he tried to save the only family he had left even if it meant using the jutsu that caused it all, and he tried so much to make amends. He tried to save her. He didn't want to use the jutsu but felt he had no choice if he wanted her life to be spared. He didn't mean to hurt them. He was sorry.

Jumon must have suffered so much.

Naruto had seen what the jutsu could do. What it had turned Kakashi into. But it hurt Jumon as well. Didn't the others realize that? They weren't the only ones effected by the jutsu. Jumon was suffering, too.

Even after everything that happened, everything he had gone through with Kakashi and the other ninja, Naruto couldn't hate Jumon. He forgave him.

"So what now?" he asked after paying his respects.

"Well, as far as loose ends go…" Yamato put a hand to his chin, thinking. "I guess, we go back to the village. We can tell Lady Tsunade what went on here and have her decide what to do about the hideout. We also have to let her know that you guys are ok and that Kakashi is back to normal."

"I certainly have a lot of explaining to do back home," Kakashi sighed. "I better get it over with."

"I'm sure the Hokage will be understanding."

"Yeah, Kakashi-sensei. You were under a jutsu," said Sakura. "You can't be held accountable. You didn't do it by choice."

"You weren't in your right mind," added Naruto. "Whenever I do something without realizing and feel horrible about it, you tell me it wasn't my fault. So now I get to tell you the same thing you tell me."

"Nobody likes being given their own advice," Kakashi told him.

"Too bad!"

Neji was still feeling embarrassed about his behavior while he had amnesia. He knew it was beyond his control and there was a reason for it, but he still wanted to avoid eye-contact with the people he knew. Considering how Kakashi behaved and what he had done, Neji knew he had no right to complain. Someone else had it much worse than he did. Neji could get over the mild embarrassment if Kakashi was willing to return to the village after what he had done and face everyone including the Hokage.

Sai wasn't embarrassed. To him, it was as if everything he had done while afflicted with amnesia had been an illusion. It felt like he was stumbling around half-asleep until this point and was now fully awake. He wasn't in a fog anyone wondering what was going on and what he was doing. He could think and see clearly again. For him, it wasn't embarrassing when he regained the memories he had lost and reflect upon his previous behavior, but a relief. He was relieved he wasn't like he was before. He was relieved to be himself again.

"Shall we head back?"

The others turned and started to follow after Yamato. Shikamaru lingered for a moment, staring at the twin graves. He gave a sigh and walked away.

In spite of everything, he was glad he met Jumon and got to speak with him. He hoped Jumon felt the same way. To have someone speak to him like a human being.

It was true, he realized. In truth, when people are first introduced to someone and are given a description of the person before meeting them, then the people have a preconception of that individual. Their minds are already made up about who this person is what what they can and will do. Whereas, if someone was not given an introduction, then people could see the person for who they are and make their own judgments.

Everyone knew Jumon as the wielder of the memory-manipulation jutsu and therefore deemed him as a threat or a valuable asset. People would watch how they spoke around him, plot how they could take him down. Shikamaru just saw him as a boy in a cage and interacted with him as a human being. Only later did he find out that he possessed that jutsu, but by then Shikamaru had already met him as a person and not an enemy. His judgment was different. It must have been a welcomed change for Jumon.

Shikamaru even offered to help him find his sister. Would anyone consider helping an enemy in need? Most wouldn't because they were an enemy. If Jumon had come out and said he was the one who used the jutsu in the first place, or if he hadn't been in that cage at all, Shikamaru might never have helped him.

Notions and perceptions were very interesting that way.

Shikamaru looked at the boy walking in front of him, playfully swatting at Kakashi's head.

So many people hated Naruto because of what was inside him. Those people never bothered to get to know him because their minds were made up as well. People who didn't know were free to judge him as they saw fit. They weren't placed before him with an idea or concept already planted in their heads, allowing him to make friends with them more easily.

This was why Shikamaru felt Naruto would have been a better person for Jumon to talk to. They could understand each other. Naruto would not judge him so harshly. He even saw the look of sadness on his face while staring down at the grave of someone he had never met.

Someone like that…

Someone like Naruto could be…

"Doing ok, Shikamaru?" Naruto asked him. "You have this funny look on your face."

"I'm fine. Just thinking about something."

"Just let us know if you need to rest. You were hurt pretty bad."

Shikamaru smiled. "I'm good, Thanks."

This is a boy with a monster inside him. Most people would fear and hate someone with that introduction.

This is Naruto Uzumaki. This was a different title, free from any preconceived notions.

How would Naruto have spoken with Jumon? Would it have been any different from what Shikamaru had done? The things he would have said. There was no way to know now.

However, Shikamaru had to admit, he did have more respect for Naruto now. Shikamaru may have been a genius, but Naruto knew and understood more things than he did.

He already liked and respected him, but after all this, his respect increased just a little bit.

Shikamaru looked over his shoulder but the graves were no longer in sight.

At least Jumon had one person who neither feared nor wanted to use him.

Shikamaru hoped Jumon knew this.

In any case, Shikamaru wished for Jumon to rest in peace.

* * *

Almost done. Just one chapter left.

Please review! ^-^


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27:**

Things returned to normal a lot quicker than Naruto expected. Even Kakashi seemed surprised but grateful. The Hokage did not punish Kakashi for his actions. She didn't even scold him. After witnessing what happened to Neji and Sai, she knew there was nothing Kakashi could have done. She also said there was no point in going after the other ninja since they were under the same jutsu as Kakashi. It seemed everyone was in agreement.

After the Hokage made her decision, Kakashi handed over the scroll he was assigned to get. He told her that during his battle with Shizuka, their battlefield caught fire which burned his jacket. He discarded it in the flame before he could get burned himself, but managed to rescue the scroll in time. It wasn't even singed.

This explained why he was without his jacket when they met him, but it didn't explain how his headband wound up in the enemy's desk drawer. Kakashi tried to remember but the longer he was free from the jutsu, the dimmer the false memories became. It was like waking up from a vivid dream. The events and details were still fresh in his mind after just opening his eyes but the longer he was wake, the more they became vague and foggy. He could still recall bits and pieces of the false memories, but to him it was nothing more than an illusion.

"He might have taken it from me or I could have handed it to him upon his request. I couldn't tell you."

"If he was able to use the jutsu to make you forget the most important details of your life, I'm sure he could have covered his tracks by telling you to forget handing him your headband," Tsunade told him.

Naruto was quick to point out that the boss wasn't the wielder of the jutsu, but a boy he held hostage. The detail seemed superfluous to the others, but for Naruto it was worth mentioning. He wanted to set the record straight.

Lady Tsunade also seemed to consider it a pointless detail, but she made a note of the specifics and told Naruto she understood. She then asked Shikamaru for the details concerning the wielder of the jutsu. Shikamaru told her that Jumon and the rest of his family were all dead. There was no one left who could use the jutsu.

He then asked the Hokage if she would have punished Jumon for his actions. Seigi pointed out that Jumon was just as guilty as he was for using the jutsu in the first place and no one would pity him. Shikamaru wanted to know if this was true or if she would have gone easy on Jumon as he suggested. Lady Tsunade told him that, depending on the circumstances, she would have given him a lesser punishment or let him go free, just as Shikamaru thought she would.

Unfortunately, Jumon might not have been so willing. Shikamaru could tell that he was wrecked with guilt and wanted to make amends. He could also tell that Jumon blamed himself for his sister's death and felt he needed to die. Not just on account of the jutsu, but because of his guilt and sorrow.

Jumon didn't need to die, but Shikamaru understood why he wanted to. At least, he believed Jumon wanted to.

"That's what happens when people feel they've hit rock bottom and can't recover. They're so depressed, they feel it's the only way out. He was desperate."

Shikamaru nodded his head. "It's not like he killed himself. He could have, but he didn't. Instead, he chose to fight and take down the one who used everyone. That man, Seigi, used Jumon's sister to keep him under control; he used Jumon's jutsu for his own selfish gains, and he used Kakashi and all those other ninja as his own personal servants and army. Jumon stopped him. He just… got killed in the progress."

"And you think that's what he wanted?" asked Ino.

"I tried to come over to help him, but he told me to stop and that it was ok. Then he confessed that he was the one who used the jutsu on his village that night which resulted in the annihilation of his clan. That's why I think he wanted to die to make amends. Why else would he have stopped me from helping him?"

"Maybe because he didn't want you getting hurt," said Kakashi. "You were already injured. If you tried to help him when they both had swords in their hands, you might have been killed yourself."

Shikamaru hadn't thought of that. Perhaps Jumon was just looking out for Shikamaru's safety. Even so, it seemed to Shikamaru that Jumon felt he had nothing left to lose after learning the truth and that was why he chose to fight. He hated Seigi and wanted to stop him and get revenge, but he also had nothing to lose.

Playing it back in his head, Shikamaru considered the possibility that Seigi might not have been defeated if Jumon hadn't allowed the sword to pierce his stomach. If he had moved aside, then his own sword would never have reached Seigi. Maybe it was unavoidable.

There were so many factors to consider. There was Jumon's state of mind, his personal feelings, his intentions, practicality, and ultimately what it took to take down Seigi quickest.

Maybe Jumon never intended to die but when it happened he accepted it.

Though they had only just met, Shikamaru didn't want Jumon to throw his life away. Believing there were other possibilities brought him a little comfort.

But still, why was he so effected by this? Was it because he got to know him or because his death brought back sad memories?

Seeing him bleeding like that and being helpless to do anything about it did remind him of someone very close to him. Someone he thought of everyday. Someone who always helped him through difficult times.

After they were dismissed, Shikamaru left telling them that he wanted some time to be alone. He ended up visiting Asuma's grave and sat down to think. He sat for hours, just thinking. Finally, he was able to feel a little better and managed a smile.

Every ninja walked their own path. If Jumon chose to take that path or if it was circumstantial was still up in the air. In any case, Shikamaru could not change the past and he accepted that he may never know what Jumon's real intentions were. He may never fully understand Jumon in general. He knew enough.

Either way, Shikamaru chose to walk his own path. He would remember those he met going down his path and learn from them. Their mistakes, their triumphs, their teachings. He would try to do his sensei proud.

While everyone else was leaving, Kakashi chose to hang back and ask the Hokage something. Now that she had the scroll, he requested that she keep it locked up somewhere safe and vow never to use it. When he was met with a raised eyebrow, he added that he only managed to obtain the scroll by promising the competition that the village would never use it on his or any other.

Tsunade smiled and promised to do as Kakashi asked.

"I do wonder who this ninja is you met on your mission," she told him. "Sounds like you impacted each other's lives in some way."

"I never met him before this," Kakashi confessed. "I don't even know what village he's from. But I can tell you that he and I do share a lot of the same ideals. Maybe that's why we got along so well."

Tsunade chuckled. "Perhaps."

* * *

Shizuka stopped to catch his breath, balancing on a tree branch. He had been running for hours. Part of him wanted to return to his village as quickly as possible because he felt safe there. Another part of him was afraid to face his leader after a failed mission.

He had to return home sometime. Might as well do it now.

The trees were beginning to thin, displaying a sea of rock and fog. He was getting close. He took long strides, leaping from one rock to another. He could hear the trickling of water flowing between the rocks, the faint breeze as he moved, and the sound of someone rapping not too far away.

"Yup. I'm almost home."

There was no mistaking that obnoxious voice reciting his latest rap song.

With a roll of his eyes, he walked through the main gate of his village.

* * *

Naruto sat down to enjoy a large bowl of ramen at his favorite restaurant. He told the owner all about his mission and how everyone was doing.

"Oh, yes, those friends of yours. Yes, I think you did mention something about them having amnesia. Good to hear they're all doing better."

"A lot better. They got their memories back."

"That's good to hear. Say, if they come around here, point them out and I'll give them a bowl of ramen on the house to celebrate."

"That's a great idea, pops. What about me?"

"I gave you an extra boiled egg free of charge. You're good."

Naruto pretended to be upset. "Oh, tease me, why don't you?"

"So how are they doing?"

"Hm? Oh, right. Well, Neji's back to normal. Sai's back to his normal self. And Kakashi-sensei is doing good. When we got back yesterday, he said he wanted to be alone for a bit. I gave him back the photo I took from his place."

"You went to his place? Without permission? Snooping, were you?"

"Ugh, you sound like him. I had a very good reason to break in."

"You broke in? I think I will charge you for that egg now."

"Pops!"

"I'm joking. Go on."

Naruto giggled a little before continuing. "Well, I saw him this morning and he's doing great. I even caught him reading his favorite book so I know he's back to normal."

"That's good to hear." The owner looked up and smiled. "Welcome. Have a seat."

"Thank you."

Naruto turned around. "Sai!"

"I thought I'd find you here," he said with a smile.

"Oh, Sai was one of the ones," said the owner. "Of course. I heard you're feeling better. Free bowl of ramen on the house. Anything you like."

"Thank you. I'll just have what Naruto is having."

"Coming up."

Sai took a seat next to his friend and smiled.

"Still doing ok?" Naruto asked him.

"Yes, I am."

Naruto's smile was beginning to fade slightly as he thought back to the events that took place not too long ago. "Hey, Sai?"

"Yes?"

Naruto looked down with a sad expression. "I'm sorry."

Sai's smiled faded as well. "For what?"

Naruto let his chopsticks soak in the broth, letting his fingers lightly rest on the edge of the bowl.

"It's just…" he began but he wasn't sure how to phrase it. "When you had amnesia… You had so many questions and you were so scared. It was strange seeing you like that. I understand why. I would have been, too. I'm sorry I couldn't help you that much."

Sai looked at Naruto with surprise. "But you did help me."

"I couldn't answer a lot of those questions, though. Like what you like to eat and things like that. If I were a better friend, I would know that."

"But you know the important things," Sai insisted. "You knew by sketchbook was important to me. You knew it was a treasure, even though I didn't. You're the only one I know who would throw themselves out of a tree to keep it safe for me. You risked your life for it because you knew it was important to me. That's what makes you a good friend. A great friend."

Naruto lifted his head. "Really?"

"You're the only one I know who can get through to people in a way only you can. You understand people. Even if something is meaningless to you, you would defend to the death whatever it is because it means more than anything to someone else. That's the kind of person you are and that's what makes you a great friend."

Naruto smiled. "Thanks, Sai."

The owner placed a bowl in front of Sai. "Here you go."

"Thank you."

Sai looked over at Naruto who had started eating again. He looked at the steam wafting off his own bowl and remembered sitting in this same spot with their friends, sharing ramen together. Back when everything was a mystery.

"Tofu."

Naruto lifted his head. "Huh?" he asked, noodles dangling from his lips.

"I like eating tofu." Sai smiled. "And I don't like dango. It might be the texture or the sweetness. Either way, I don't like it." He turned his head and his smile deepened. "Just in case this ever happens again."

Naruto swallowed.

Then he smiled.

"I have a feeling I already know your favorite food," Sai told him.

Naruto chuckled. "Thanks, Sai."

Sai watched Naruto lift the bowl up to his lips and drank the warm broth and ask for seconds, knowing he was the one who should be thanking Naruto.

* * *

The end!

Hope you guys liked it.

Thank you all so much for reading! Please review! ^-^ Thanks!


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